Genshin Impact’s “Shadow of the Ancients” limited-time event is a pseudo treasure-hunting minigame divided into three parts. Phase 1 challenges players to visit landmarks across Teyvat and conduct “Investigative Surveys” with a new device called “Ayesha’s Chaos Prospector.” The gadget works like a metal detector for conduction components, pieces of ancient machinery buried in the wilds of Genshin Impact’s sprawling world. Digging up the components will help solve the mystery of an anomalous Ruin Grader – but there are a few steps players must take before embarking on their quest.
Shadow of the Ancients: Getting Started
After initiating the event quest and speaking with Katheryne, she’ll ask Travelers to investigate a Ruin Grader on Tsurumi Island. Fight the Ruin Grader until it’s defeated a single time – the Ruin Grader will pause to revive, and Paimon will prompt players to return to Katheryne. Speak to Katheryne, then teleport to Ritou and confront Hosseini. Hosseini will hand over the Chaos Prospector and ask the Traveler to collect conduction components in order to repair a device for researching the self-repairing Ruin Grader.
How to Use Ayesha’s Chaos Prospector
In order to use this Sumeru tech, players should first cycle through their inventory and equip Ayesha’s Chaos Prospector. Once activated, a Chaos Prospector will appear as a floating sphere with light pointing in the direction of the hidden relic. Players should explore in the given direction, dropping additional Prospectors to ensure they’re on the right track. Summoning a fourth Prospector removes the first Prospector from the world. There is no finite number of Prospectors available, only a cap ofthree able to exist simultaneously.
The Prospectors will indicate the following items: Exquisite Chest, Enemy Battle, Unknown Device, and finally, the Conduction Component. The points universally generate in the same places, one after the other; there’s no skipping the Chest or airlocked fight and locating the component beforehand. The Unknown Device has a similar appearance to Genshin's time trials or Ley Line Monolith base, but currently displays no obvious function. Players will perform four searches at four separate sites for a total of 16 searches.
Conduction Component Locations
Return to the Shadow of the Ancients event overview page. There are four Investigative Surveys in unique regions – selecting the Survey Site opens the map with each point marked by the Prospector symbol. Teleport to the closest Waypoint and enter the golden indicator ring to trigger the challenge. This list includes the items identified in order as well as screenshots for the exact Conduction Component locations.
Survey Site: Stormterror’s Lair
Rewards: Primogem x 40, Guide to Freedom x 2
Stormterror’s Lair is a rather benign start to the site expeditions. There are a handful of Hilichurls, Mitachurl, and Anemo Slimes loitering nearby that may engage.
- Exquisite Chest
- Fight – Hilichurls and Mitachurls
- Unknown Device
- Conduction Component
Survey Site: Qingxu Pool
Rewards: Primogem x 40, Guide to Ballad x 2
There are a few stray Treasure Hoarders in the area, but the combat is pretty light.
- Unknown Device
- Enemy Battle – 1 Ruin Hunter
- Exquisite Chest
- Conduction Component
Survey Site: Yaoguang Shoal
Rewards: Primogem x 40, Guide to Resistance x 2
This location is in the midst of a Hilichurl camp – they’ll need to be cleared, as the Prospector can’t launch while the player is targeted.
- Exquisite Chest
- Unknown Device
- Enemy Battle – 1 Ruin Hunter
- Conduction Component
Survey Site: Tatarasuna
Rewards: Primogem x 40, Mora x 30,000
The environment is hostile. Multiple Hilichurl camps converge and team up with a Pyro Abyss Mage and Thunderhelm Lawachurl to discourage movement and must be defeated to lay the Prospectors.
- Exquisite Chest
- Enemy Battle – Hilichurls and Mitachurl
- Unknown Device
- Conduction Component
Genshin Impact is available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5.
