A Gift Under the Moon: Claiming Xiangli Yao in Wuthering Waves 1.2
The 'By Moon's Grace' event in Wuthering Waves' 1.2 update offered a free 5-star Xiangli Yao, rewarding players for festival contributions.
The moon over Huanglong has never felt so generous. As 2026 unfolds, the echoes of the past still resonate, and I find myself drawn back to a memory from the game's vibrant 1.2 update—a time when Kuro Games offered not just a challenge, but a gift. The path to obtaining the 5-star Resonator, Xiangli Yao, without spending a single Astrite felt less like a grind and more like participating in a grand, communal story. It was a promise woven into the fabric of the "By Moon's Grace" event, a lunar festival where our efforts were repaid with the companionship of a character who would become a cornerstone of many teams. Let me recount the journey, not as a guide, but as a reminiscence of a festival under the digital stars.
The heart of this endeavor was the "By Moon's Grace" event, a sprawling narrative that had us assisting Xiangli Yao himself in preparing for the illustrious Moonlit Fair. From my perspective, it transformed the world from a battlefield of Tacet Discords into a bustling workshop of dreams. The currency of this dream was "Popularity," a metric that grew not from fame, but from genuine contribution. The goal was clear: accumulate enough Popularity points before the event's conclusion to claim Xiangli Yao directly through the "Converging Paths" event window. The community buzzed with anticipation; the requirement, though initially a mystery, became a shared mountain we all vowed to climb together.
The methods to cultivate this Popularity were beautifully intertwined with the festival's theme. They were not mere tasks, but acts of creation and benevolence.
Primary Avenues for Popularity:
| Activity | Description | My Personal Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Building Fair Stalls | Progress through Lodge Tales quests to construct and upgrade stalls for the fair. | Each stall was like planting a sonic sapling; it started small but, with care, grew into a beacon that attracted crowds and stories. Upgrading them felt like tuning an instrument to a perfect harmonic, each level a new note in the fair's symphony. |
| Completing Wishes | Fulfill requests listed in the Lodge Wishes tab. | These were scattered fragments of hope, and completing them was like catching fireflies in a jar—small, fleeting lights that collectively illuminated the entire festival grounds with goodwill. |
| Strategic Companion Use | Employ 3 Companions when completing a Wish for a point bonus. | This turned solo endeavors into joyful collaborations, the combined efforts of my team multiplying the reward like a resonant chord. |
The process had a satisfying rhythm. I would embark on a Lodge Tale, watching a stall rise from an idea to a vibrant hub. Then, I'd turn to the Wishes, selecting those that resonated with my available resources and allies. The Popularity bar would climb, its growth a visible testament to the festival taking shape around me. There was a cap, of course—Popularity Level 6—but reaching it felt like completing a complex, rewarding composition rather than hitting a mundane limit.
Reflecting from 2026, what made this event so memorable was its philosophy. In an era where premium characters often hide behind layers of gacha mechanics, this was a direct, effort-based reward. It respected the player's time and dedication. The three-week span from the event's start to Xiangli Yao's claim date on September 7 (back in that update cycle) was ample. It allowed for a steady, engaging pace. There was no frantic last-minute rush if you participated consistently; it was a marathon of creation, not a sprint of desperation.
The moment of claiming him was profoundly satisfying. After weaving stories through Lodge Tales and granting wishes, the option to simply welcome Xiangli Yao to my roster felt like the natural, earned conclusion to a festival chapter. He wasn't a random prize; he was a partner earned through shared effort in his story. It set a precedent that many in the community still speak fondly of, a highlight in the game's history where generosity and gameplay fused seamlessly.
In essence, the path to the free Xiangli Yao was a masterclass in integrated event design. It proved that the most valuable rewards are often those earned through participation in a world's living story, not just through the luck of a draw or the depth of a wallet. It was a lunar gift, carefully wrapped in the efforts of the players themselves, and its memory shines as brightly now as the Moonlit Fair did then. 🌙✨