Where Winds Meet is an incredible Wuxia-themed open-world RPG that transports you to 10th-century China during a period of political upheaval. As someone who’s spent countless hours exploring its vast landscapes, I can tell you that mastering movement abilities like Wind Walking and Water Walking completely transforms how you experience this beautiful world. These aren’t just flashy skills—they’re essential tools that’ll make your journey through the game’s stunning environments so much more enjoyable and efficient.
The game’s movement system is deeply tied to its progression mechanics, meaning you’ll need to put in some genuine exploration effort before you can soar through the skies or stride across water surfaces. But trust me, the payoff is absolutely worth it. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finally unlocking these abilities and realizing the true freedom they offer.
I’ve been hooked on Where Winds Meet since day one, and the movement system is a huge part of why I keep coming back. There’s something magical about the way the game captures that classic Wuxia fantasy of being able to fly like a legendary martial arts master. When I first unlocked Wind Walking, I spent hours just soaring around the map, discovering hidden areas I never would have found otherwise.
What really sets this game apart is how it makes you earn these incredible abilities. Unlike many games that just hand you powerful skills, Where Winds Meet requires you to genuinely engage with its world and progression systems. This makes unlocking Wind Walking and Water Walking feel like real achievements rather than just another checkbox on your skill list.
The community around this game is also fantastic. I’ve had so many great discussions with fellow players about the best ways to approach the discovery system and the most efficient paths to unlocking these movement abilities. It’s this combination of rewarding progression and engaged community that makes Where Winds Meet stand out in the crowded RPG space.
Unlocking Wind Walking (also known as flying) is a multi-step process that I’ve personally gone through multiple times. Let me walk you through exactly how to make it happen.
Your journey to flight begins in the first region, Qinghe. Head to the pond area on the left side of the starting region and look for a fisherman NPC. He’s usually pretty easy to spot, and the game will often guide you toward him as part of the early questlines.
When you find him, you’ll discover a quest book called “What is the Dust Cloud.” Interact with this book to begin the Wind Walking questline. The fisherman will explain the basics of Wind Walking and set you up for the next challenge.
Pro tip: Make sure you actually speak with the fisherman again to officially start the quest before attempting the jumping challenge. I made this mistake my first time and wondered why nothing was happening!
The fisherman will set up a platforming challenge involving jumping across various pots. This trial tests your mastery of the game’s movement mechanics, requiring you to use double and triple jumps along with dash abilities to cross the gaps.
Here’s what you need to do:
Once you complete this challenge, you’ll receive a small booklet. Make sure to read it—this is crucial for unlocking the basic gliding ability. At this point, you’ll technically have unlocked the ability to glide, but you’ll still take fall damage, so it’s not true flight yet.
This is where the real work begins. To unlock full, damage-free flight in a region, you need to reach Exploration Level 4 (or earn 4,000 Discovery points) in that specific region. Here’s how I recommend earning these points efficiently:
Fastest Ways to Earn Discovery Points:
I’ve found that focusing on activating all the Fast Travel Pillars first gives you a nice point boost while also making future exploration much easier. Then I move on to the blue book quests since they’re typically straightforward and offer good rewards.
Once you reach 4,000 Discovery points in a region, you’ll receive a special item called the “Token of Spring and Autumn Festival” (also known as the Afterglow Pendant). Take this back to the fisherman who gave you the initial quest.
When you give him this token, he’ll officially unlock full Wind Walking for that region. You’ll now be able to fly freely without taking fall damage, and you’ll have access to true aerial mobility.
Important note: Wind Walking is region-locked. This means you’ll need to repeat this entire process in each new region you want to fly in. It can be a bit grindy, but it encourages thorough exploration of each area.
Water Walking is actually part of a larger movement system called Travel Mode, which also includes a super-fast sprint ability. Here’s how to unlock it:
Just like with Wind Walking, your first step is to reach Exploration Level 4 (4,000 Discovery points) in the region where you want to unlock Water Walking. The good news is that if you’ve already done this for Wind Walking, you’re halfway there!
As you explore the region, make sure to collect Curiosities. These are special collectible items scattered throughout the world, including:
I recommend keeping an eye out for these as you’re working on your Discovery points anyway. They’re usually marked on your minimap when you’re nearby, making them relatively easy to spot.
Take all your collected Curiosities to the specific vendor located in the starting area (the same place where you initially chose your first weapon). This vendor will accept your Curiosities and, in exchange, help you unlock the Travel Mode abilities.
After handing in enough Curiosities to the vendor, you’ll unlock the skill called “Wind Controlling Magic” (also known as Flying Eaves Chasing Shadows). This is the skill that activates Travel Mode, granting you both super speed and the ability to run across water surfaces.
How Travel Mode Works:
I’ve found that Water Walking is incredibly useful for exploring coastal areas and crossing rivers without having to find bridges or go around. It’s saved me countless hours of travel time, especially in regions with lots of water obstacles.
While there aren’t specific “codes” for unlocking these abilities in the traditional sense, there are some important things to know about the different movement options available:
The game offers several different flight abilities, each with its own unique characteristics:
Each of these has its own advantages, but Meteor Flight is typically the first one you’ll unlock and is perfect for general exploration.
As of March 2026, the game hasn’t introduced any major changes to how these movement abilities are unlocked. However, the developers have been actively working on quality-of-life improvements that make the discovery process slightly more enjoyable.
Keep an eye out for special events that might offer bonus Discovery points or temporary movement boosts. These can be great opportunities to speed up your progress toward unlocking Wind Walking and Water Walking.
After spending dozens of hours perfecting these movement abilities, I’ve picked up some valuable strategies that I’m excited to share with you:
Balance Flying and Ground Exploration While it’s tempting to fly everywhere once you unlock it, I’ve learned that this can actually slow down your long-term progression. Flying causes you to miss many ground-level Curiosities and discovery opportunities. I recommend mixing aerial exploration with thorough ground-level investigation.
Plan Your Discovery Routes Before you start grinding for Discovery points, take a moment to plan an efficient route. I like to:
Use the Interactive Map There are excellent interactive maps available online that show the locations of all major points of interest. I reference these when I’m trying to optimize my discovery routes, especially in larger regions.
Master the Aerial Slam Once you unlock flight, consider getting the “hand slammer” internal art. This powerful slam ability deals massive damage when used from mid-air and scales well with upgrade stones. It’s perfect for both mob clearing and boss fights.
Combine Travel Mode with Other Abilities Travel Mode isn’t just for water walking. I’ve found that combining it with other movement abilities creates some incredibly efficient traversal options. Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your playstyle.
Learn Precision Landing One of the trickier aspects of flight is landing exactly where you want to. The aerial slam ability lands precisely where you aim, so practice your aim to avoid awkward landings in tight spaces.
Focus on One Region at a Time Since movement abilities are region-locked, I recommend fully unlocking Wind Walking and Water Walking in one region before moving to the next. This gives you maximum mobility for thorough exploration of each area.
Save Curiosities for Vendor Trade-ins Don’t use Curiosities for other purposes if you’re working toward unlocking Travel Mode. Save them specifically for trading with the vendor to ensure you have enough when you reach Exploration Level 4.
Keep Track of Your Progress The game’s regional progression panel shows exactly how many Discovery points you have and what you need to reach the next level. I check this regularly to track my progress and plan my next steps.
After helping many players in the community, I’ve noticed some common questions come up repeatedly. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions:
A: No, you don’t! Water Walking (Travel Mode) is unlocked independently through the Curiosity vendor system. However, both abilities require you to reach 4,000 Discovery points in the region, so you’ll likely unlock them around the same time if you’re exploring thoroughly.
A: This means you’ve only completed the initial quest with the fisherman but haven’t reached Exploration Level 4 yet. To remove fall damage and unlock true flight, you need to earn 4,000 Discovery points in the region and give the resulting token to the fisherman.
A: Unfortunately, no. The ability to fly is tied to each individual region’s progress. You must earn 4,000 Discovery points in each new region where you want to fly. This encourages thorough exploration of each area before moving on.
A: Based on my experience, the fastest approach is to focus on a mix of activities: activate all Fast Travel Pillars first (they give good points and make travel easier), complete the straightforward blue book quests, and clear out enemy camps. These activities provide significant point rewards and are relatively efficient to complete.
A: Yes, you can work on unlocking Wind Walking and Water Walking in any order. Both require reaching Exploration Level 4, but they’re unlocked through different NPCs (the fisherman for Wind Walking, the Curiosity vendor for Water Walking/Travel Mode).
A: While there aren’t any major exploits, I’ve found that focusing on high-value discovery activities like clearing enemy camps and completing blue book quests is the most efficient approach. Some players also report that certain events or temporary bonuses can speed up the process, so keep an eye out for those.
A: Yes, both Wind Walking and Water Walking work in multiplayer modes, making them valuable for both PvE exploration and PvP situations. The mobility advantage they provide can be significant in player combat scenarios.
A: No, once you’ve unlocked these abilities in a region, they’re permanently available to you there. You don’t lose them upon death or story progression.
Mastering Wind Walking and Water Walking in Where Winds Meet is one of the most rewarding progression experiences I’ve had in recent gaming memory. The sense of freedom you get when you finally unlock these abilities is absolutely incredible, and it completely transforms how you interact with the game’s beautiful world.
Remember, the key is patience and thorough exploration. Take your time to really engage with each region, complete those discovery objectives, and enjoy the journey toward unlocking these amazing movement abilities. The grind is real, but the payoff is so worth it.
I hope this guide helps you on your journey to becoming a true master of movement in Where Winds Meet. If you have any additional questions or want to share your own tips and experiences, feel free to join the discussion. Happy flying, and may the winds always be at your back!
