"Through Smoke and Dark Forests" in Genshin Impact 3.0 is the main story quest of this update. Completing the quest will take a lot of time because you will have to fulfill many different tedious tasks. In fact, there are no difficult puzzles in this storyline, but there are some moments that may raise questions.

In this guide, we will tell you how to complete the quest "Through Smoke and Dark Forests" and specifically describe the completion of the most challenging moments, in our opinion.

"Through Smoke and Dark Forests" Volume 3, Chapter 1: how to start 

To start the quest, you need to:

• Have at least Adventure Rank 35;
• Have completed the Archon Quest "The Fond Farewell".

If all of the above has been done, the quest will appear in your Quest Journal.

"Through Smoke and Dark Forests": dealing with the Withered Zone

As we mentioned earlier, up to this point, nothing should raise any questions for you. You will meet Collei and Tignari, activate the statue without any problems, gather herbs - everything will go relatively smoothly. At some point, Tignari will inform you that another Withered Zone has been discovered in the forest.

Upon arriving in this zone, Tignari will instruct you to cleanse the Withered Zone. Here are the instructions:

• You need to approach the Dendrogranum Cube and take it;

• Now, using a charged or aimed attack, hit/shoot the red sticks;

• Deal with the enemies that appear after these actions. Approach the main branch and press "Cleanse". Done!

Then follow the story marker, performing simple actions. In the end, you will be sent to a girl in a cave to deliver food and necessary items for rescue. It is there that you will encounter several more interesting tasks.

Silent Seeker of Knowledge: Dungeon Walkthrough

After finding the girl, you will find yourself in a dungeon. We recommend having a good team with you because you will have to fight the Abyss Herald.

Reach the special opening

Here it's also simple: approach the wide mushroom and jump. You will see that the mushroom allows you to jump to a considerable height - that's how you need to reach the marker on the map. After changing the dungeon, you will be tasked with reaching the upper burrow - again, jump on mushrooms and use markers to move (similar to electro tunnels).

Once you deal with the hilichurls and collect the chest at the final point, run to the green portal that should take you to a bud with another piece of amber. To get out of there, use the teleportation symbol.

There won't be anything difficult ahead until you reach the gates and find yourself in a new dungeon.

How to explore the corridor in the inner courtyard?

It's simple - go to the right corner of the courtyard and adjust the camera so that the image on the stones looks like this:

That's it - from here, everything is quite simple. Following the story, you will come to the city of Sumaru, meet Neil and other guys, and then head to Port-Ormose, where a small adventure with Al-Haytham awaits you!

Adventure with Al-Haytham: how to answer Rayna

After all the story dialogues and simple actions, you will agree with Al-Haytham that he will help you meet Dory. Dory works at the black market, so you will have to go through her assistant and pass a "slang test". 

In the conversation with the merchant Rayna, choose the following answers:

• Congratulations! 
• Yes, let them be amazed, so that their ears start ringing. 
• In the style of Port-Ormose.

After the chase, you will finally meet Dory - enjoy the cutscenes and the further storyline! After completing this story arc, you will automatically start the second part of the quest chain called "One Hundred Fresh Roses Adorn the Morning".