Two New Song of the Welkin Moon Acts Drop Together in Genshin Impact

I opened my quest journal this morning and nearly dropped my controller. Two new golden markers had materialized under the Archon Quests tab, both belonging to the Song of the Welkin Moon series. No patch notes announced them. No livestream hyped their arrival. They just appeared, and for a lore-dedicated Traveler like me, that kind of quiet drop feels like stumbling on a secret. HoYoverse has released Act IX, "As All Falls to Emptiness," and Act X, "Of Myriad Paths, Flux, and Dissolution," simultaneously, and the unusual rollout raises as many questions as it answers.

These two acts land with a remarkably low barrier to entry. The only prerequisite is finishing Chapter I: Act III – A New Star Approaches, the Liyue Archon quest finale that most players conquered back at Adventure Rank 23 or so. There is no extra level gate, no world quest chain to grind, no limited event timer. This permanent content sits right in the middle of the early narrative, chronologically just after the Traveler first reunites with their sibling, yet it launches now, in the middle of 2026. The placement feels deliberate, as if the developers are threading a needle between the foundational Mondstadt and Liyue arcs and whatever cataclysm awaits us in Snezhnaya.

✦ Act IX: As All Falls to Emptiness

✦ Act X: Of Myriad Paths, Flux, and Dissolution

✦ Prerequisite: Only A New Star Approaches completed

✦ Permanent addition, fully voiced in key languages

The titles themselves read like poetry carved into a ruin wall. "As All Falls to Emptiness" conjures the Void realm that Dainsleif often alludes to — that space between worlds where memories dissolve and where the Abyss gnaws at the roots of Teyvat. The second act, "Of Myriad Paths, Flux, and Dissolution," practically screams branching realities and the weight of choice. During my playthrough, I noticed dialogue options that branched in subtle ways, something the Seer-Witch lore has hinted at for years. If you have not looked into that strand, think of it as a prophecy game where every decision echoes across the ley lines. These quests feel like a direct continuation of that theme, testing whether the Traveler can truly defy a predetermined fate.

The Song of the Welkin Moon arc has always been different from the Traveler’s main journey. It is the umbrella for the Dainsleif-focused Archon Quests, ones that peel back the Abyss Order’s motivations and the sibling’s twisted path. Previously released acts — there were eight before this — scattered across patches from 1.0 through 3.x, each one a rare, weighty piece of lore. Seeing two fresh acts ship at once reminds me of the 1.x era when HoYoverse experimented with multi-act drops. That they are returning to this pattern now suggests a narrative consolidation, maybe even the conclusion of this sub-arc before a major chapter shift. After Act X, the Welkin Moon story could finally collide with the mainline plot heading toward the Cryo Archon.

Gameplay-wise, I knocked out both acts in a single evening. The rewards are standard Archon Quest fare: 60 Primogems per act, a healthy chunk of Adventure EXP, and some character ascension mats that I funneled straight into my new Electro support. For free-to-play savers eyeing the rumored Lumi banner or other reruns on the horizon, these quests are an easy, low-stress gem source. The fights are not brutal, but one domain in Act IX, full of cascading void rifts and floating platforms, had me swapping teams more than I expected. The real reward, though, is the story.

Without spoiling specifics, I can say that "As All Falls to Emptiness" confronts the Traveler with a vision of Teyvat unraveled. The official description whispers: "The clamor and voices fade into silence. That which runs rampant in dreams is now descending…" That eerie line recalls the Abyss’s dream-invasion powers first showcased in We Will Be Reunited. Act X then throws open the doors of possibility, showing not just one outcome but a kaleidoscope of paths where characters make different choices. It is disorienting in the best way, and I found myself pausing after certain cutscenes just to process the implications for Khaenri’ah and the Heavenly Principles.

Community chatter has exploded on HoYoLAB and Reddit. Theorycrafters are busy connecting the “Emptiness” imagery to the inverted statue of the Seven and the upside-down city in the Chasm. Others are convinced these acts will introduce a new weekly boss before the patch cycle ends, one tied to the Flux concept — perhaps a boss that switches forms based on player choices throughout the quest. I have not found a boss domain yet, but the game files are being scoured as I type this.

For newer players who only need to clear a single Liyue quest to access these acts, consider this a sign. The narrative is no longer locked behind years of grinding. HoYoverse seems eager to catch everyone up, and I suspect that is because the Teyvat chapter finale might be closer than we think. If you have been sitting on incomplete story quests, now is the time to log in, chase the golden markers, and see what the Welkin Moon still has to sing.

The double drop of Acts IX and X is a gift I did not expect during an otherwise quiet 2026 summer. I am already replaying sections to hunt for missed dialogue and cryptic journals. The Welkin Moon’s refrain grows louder, and I am here for every note.