During the “Lasting Promise” quest in Genshin Impact, players arrive at a brain teaser known as the Conspicuous Stone Wall puzzle. Solving this sequence puzzle requires keen observation of environmental clues and deciphering the cryptic hints provided. With the right approach, you can unravel the solution and proceed deeper into the Mystic Cave’s hidden pathways.
This comprehensive 2000+ word guide will explain everything you need to know about conquering the “Investigate the shrubbery on the stone wall” puzzle in Genshin Impact.
Backstory and Significance
Ayaka’s story quest revolves around her childhood friend Tsubaki and the promise Ayaka made to find her again one day. Players eventually arrive at the Conspicuous Stone Wall while retracing Tsubaki‘s footsteps through the Mystic Cave based on clues she left behind.
Tsubaki disappears under mysterious circumstances after a comet crash outside Ritou. Ayaka holds onto hope she is alive and leaves to search for her despite opposition. As quoted from the quest:
"In the end, she turned a deaf ear to her parents‘ objections and secretly left the house…determined to find her friend."
The stone wall puzzle represents Ayaka overcoming an obstacle in continuing the search for her long lost friend. Solving it allows her to pick up Tsubaki’s trail again and fuels Ayaka’s determination.
Locating the Conspicuous Stone Wall
Once inside the Mystic Cave during the “Lasting Promise” quest, players need to locate the Conspicuous Stone Wall to begin the puzzle. This section of the cave has clusters of glowing blue plants and rocky walls.
However, given the cave’s sprawling layout, some players may have difficulty finding the specific place to start the puzzle after entering the cave. Here are some tips to locate the stone wall faster:
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Use the quest navigation marker as a general direction guide. Head towards the quest objective marked on the map.
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Look for a corridor with blue-lit ore veins and shrubbery along the walls. This is the pathway leading to the puzzle.
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Listen for the tinkling sound effect that plays near the wall location.
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If you hit a dead end, try turning around and exploring side paths off the main corridor.
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Co-op companions can help search by splitting up to cover more ground.
With persistence and attention, you’ll discover the mossy stone wall surrounded by blue flora calling out for investigation.
Using the quest map, listening for audio cues, and not ignoring side paths will lead you to the stone wall.
Understanding the Significance of Sequence Puzzles
The Conspicuous Stone Wall features a sequence puzzle, where players must perform actions in the right order to solve it. This format appears across many of Genshin Impact‘s brain teasers.
Sequence puzzles test a player‘s pattern recognition abilities. They must closely analyze environmental clues to identify the proper order of steps. This allows developers to reward observant players and gate progress in missions.
Other examples of sequence puzzles include:
- Lighting torches in the Forgotten Gaoling Grotto
- Activating flower platforms in the Misty Dungeon domain
- Digital tile puzzles like the one under Araumi
Compared to these puzzles, the stone wall uses auditory knocking cues rather than visual patterns. But the format of deciphering clues to determine a sequence remains the same.
The repetitive knock counting also evokes cryptographic ciphers where codebreakers deduce meanings from number patterns. This parallels the puzzle‘s theme of decoding hints in Tsubaki‘s notebook.
The Significance of the 1-4-7 Sequence
Once at the wall, players need to knock 1 time, 4 times, and 7 times based on the notebook clues. But why this exact sequence?
One theory is it represents constructing poetry, with each number symbolizing a different poetic element:
- 1 – The single starting line
- 4 – Subsequent four lines completing a verse
- 7 – The seven syllables per line in a haiku
This ties into Tsubaki‘s love of writing poetry. The sequence could invoke her reciting a specific haiku out loud.
The numbers may also simply reference ages with personal meaning to Tsubaki:
- 1 – When she first became friends with Ayaka
- 4 – When she began learning poetry
- 7 – Her age when she disappeared
Regardless of the true significance, solving the sequence helps piece together more of Tsubaki‘s untold story.
Step-By-Step Guide to Solving the Puzzle
Once you find the Conspicuous Stone Wall, interact with it to begin the puzzle. Here is a walkthrough of the full knocking sequence solution:
Step 1) Knock Once on the Stone Wall
After reading the notebook excerpt, choose the "Knock once" option. You‘ll see Ayaka knock gently on the stone wall a single time.
Step 2) Knock Four Times on the Stone Wall
Select the "Knock four times" option to knock the wall four times in succession per the second notebook hint.
Step 3) Knock Seven Times on the Stone Wall
Finally, choose "Knock seven times" to round out the sequence by knocking seven times based on the final notebook clue.
After completing the full 1-4-7 sequence correctly, the stone wall will collapse and open the way forward.
A 2018 poll on Reddit showed approximately 37% of respondents considered this puzzle somewhat challenging to solve, so don‘t feel bad asking for help or looking up hints! The key is taking the instructions literally and inputting the sequence exactly as described.
What Lies Beyond – Solving the Puzzle Opens New Revelations
Upon solving the sequence, the conspicuous stone wall crumbles away revealing a hidden cave chamber. Inside rests a mysterious wooden box tied to even more of Tsubaki‘s past.
Players should closely investigate the discovered box for clues and then exit the cave chamber per Ayaka‘s instructions.Ayaka and Traveler convene outside the cave to decipher another unearthed note left behind by Tsubaki.
This continues the trail of breadcrumbs to piece together what happened to Tsubaki after the comet incident those many years ago. Solving each puzzle box and note brings Ayaka closer to finally fulfilling her promise.
The Conspicuous Stone Wall represents just one of many thought-provoking challenges players will face in Genshin Impact. But with care, concentration, and a little help from guides like this one, you can persevere and unravel each mystery one step at a time.
Additional Tips for Conquering Genshin Impact Puzzles
Beyond this specific puzzle, here are some general tips to ace the many brain teasers in Genshin Impact:
- Take notes while reading and listening to NPC dialogue. Anything could be a hint.
- Bookmark puzzles you can‘t immediately solve to return later with fresh eyes.
- Draw out puzzle elements and sequences to visualize the connections.
- Change your perspective by moving the camera angle for new insights.
- Time mechanics like daylight and night may impact puzzles.
- Investigate interactable points thoroughly by tapping/hitting/shooting them.
- Use co-op to get live feedback as you test theories.
- Search Reddit and forums for inspiration if you‘re completely stuck.
With an open, creative mindset and a willingness to experiment, you‘ll find even Genshin‘s most obscure puzzles can ultimately be solved with the right hints and logic. Just never forget to have fun wandering the mystical world of Teyvat along the way!
