How to Thaw all the Shards out in Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact has tons of world quests, where players can discover more about the history of Teyvat, while also getting some rewards for the effort of completing them. Some of the hardest are around the Dragonspine region, with one, in particular, proving to be devilishly challenging.

As most players know, the Dragonspine mountain cannot be explored in its entirety due to huge gusts of wind that batter it at its highest elevations. To get rid of these whirlwinds, you will have to complete a special quest called “In The Mountains”, where you have to travel around to thaw all the shards out.

Genshin Impact - All Shard locations

To begin the “In The Mountains” quest, you will have to talk to Iris in the Dragonspine Adventurer Camp, who will ask you to investigate some strange ice formations she found in the mountains.

First shard: Frostbearing Tree

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The first one will be quite easy to deal with, as this can be found near to the start of the mountain, where you will encounter the Frostbearing Tree. In the middle of the tree will be the first shard, however, you will observe this has a Cryo protection.

To destroy this shield, you will have to look around for a Scarlet Quartz, a bright red crystal found throughout Dragonspine. Breaking it will drop a crystal that you can pick up, which will infuse with energy that allows you to break the strange ice by attacking it.

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You need to collect four Scarlet Quartzes to twat out the shard, afterwards, it will fly towards the summit of the mountain.

Second shard: Entombed City - Outskirts

The next and hardest one will be located in the outskirts of the Entombed City, featuring a puzzle where you will have to memorize a certain pattern made by a Warming Seelie. Upon arriving, you will have to press a device and then the Seelie will start to fly around five Cryo totems in front of you.

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Using a Cryo character, you have to activate all five totems with your abilities in the right order. After you complete this, a Precious Chest containing a Crimson Agate will pop up, however, we recommend preparing yourself before you open the chest, as right after this, a couple of Ruin Guards and a Ruin Grader will attack you.

Once you deal with them, you will glide down into a revealed cavern, where you will find the second shard. As before, you have to destroy four Scarlet Quartzes around to attack and twat the shard.

As soon as the shard flies away, two Ruin Graders will proceed to attack you, but these will be weaker than the previous one, so it could be easier to defeat them.

Third shard: Starglow Cavern

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For the last one, you will go to the inside of the Starglow Cavern, where you will descend and find the last shard in plain sight. However, this will be blocked by a barrier that can only be removed after you face three hoards of Cryo enemies above a frozen lake.

As a suggestion, you should guide all the Warming Seelie in the cavern to their gardens before the challenge, to have a source of warmth and make it easier to complete this task.

Once all the enemies are defeated, the barrier will disappear and then you will do as you did before, collect the Scarlet Quartzes and twat the shard. After it flies away, you will have to head to the summit of Dragonspine to continue the last part of the mission.

Thaw all shards again: Summit of Dragonspine Mountain

In the summit, you'll have to thaw out all three shards again, however, this time they are suspended in the air. To do this faster, we recommend using an archer as they can break the Scarlet Quartzes and shoot them to the shards.

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The Scarlet Quartzes can be found around the summit, with the first being near an inactive Ruin Guard close to the teleport waypoint, the second will be close to a Frostarm Lawachurl which you have to defeat, and for the third you will follow a Warming Seelie up to an Anemo Totem.

There, using an Anemo ability you can activate it to generate a wind current, which will guide you to a Hilichurl camp. Defeat them and the last Scarlet Quartz will be yours. After thawing out all three shards, you will glide down to activate all the orbs revealed by the broken shards.

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After doing this, you will be rewarded with a Luxurious Chest, unlock the Peak of Vindagnyr domain, and the "Skyfrost Nail'' achievement. Finally, you will have to go down the mountain and report back to Iris to end the quest, who will give you 60 Primogems, along with several other rewards. That's all on how to Thaw all the Shards out in Genshin Impact.

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