TL;DR
- In the Dwelling of Life is the Flamefeather Valley world quest chain in Genshin Impact 7.0 — the longest of the three Eye of Graeae questlines.
- Start it near the Statue of the Seven southwest of Morepesok by approaching The Anvil and his Volkodlak crew.
- The chain has 7 subquests and follows a girl named Nastya as she tries to find her way home.
- All combat uses TPS-mode gun — Elemental Skills and Bursts are locked in the Shadow Realm throughout.
- Key puzzle types: minecart tunnel, station bypass, three-keycard sewer, chandelier lifts, colored seal wall dial, and boss fights.
- There are four major bosses: Anvil’s crew, Furiosa (twice), and Zhara the Immortal Firebird.
- Completing the full chain rewards the Pebble of Serpentine Algae and the “Gather for Everlasting Happiness” achievement.
The In the Dwelling of Life quest in Genshin Impact is the longest of the three major world quest chains in Snezhnaya version 7.0. It takes you deep into the ruined settlement of Okurov in Flamefeather Valley and tells the story of Nastya — a mysterious little girl you rescue from a collapsed tunnel. This guide covers every subquest from start to finish so you always know what to do next.
This chain is one of the three that rewards an Eye of Graeae fragment. For a broader picture of how all three chains connect, see our guide on how to collect all Eye of Graeae fragments. If you are already midway through and need help with the fifth subquest specifically, our Forbidding Doors of Melancholy guide walks through every chandelier and wall dial step in detail.
How to Unlock In the Dwelling of Life
Location: The In the Dwelling of Life quest chain can be started by approaching the Volkodlak on the frozen pond south of the Statue of the Seven in Morepesok. It can be unlocked as soon as you activate the Statue of the Seven in Snezhnograd.
You reach the quest area by progressing the Chapter 7 Act 1 Archon Quest, Everwinter Without Mercy. Once you have activated the Statue of the Seven in Snezhnograd, you can fast travel to Morepesok and walk southwest toward the nearby statue to find the quest marker. Approach The Anvil to trigger a fight with his Volkodlak crew. Defeat them and the quest chain begins immediately — no extra trigger or item needed.
It is strongly recommended to complete at least the second objective of Great Deeds on the Tundra in the Everwinter Without Mercy Archon Quest first. This prevents interruptions while working through the chain. The whole run mixes water-level sewer puzzles, chandelier pulls, and gunplay. Stock up on Eternal Ice and ammo before you begin.
All 7 Subquests — Overview
The chain consists of seven subquests that flow back to back automatically. It follows Nastya, a strange little girl found in an abandoned tunnel, as she leads you deeper into the ruined settlement of Okurov. Here is the full list:
- 1. A Sprout Without a Gardener — Defeat Volkodlaks, clear the tunnel, rescue Nastya
- 2. Transplanted From Yesterday to Tomorrow — Escort Nastya through Okurov and the station
- 3. Down in the Dumps — Solve the three-keycard sewer puzzle
- 4. Back on One’s Feet — Explore Ove’s house and fight Furiosa
- 5. Forbidding Doors of Melancholy — Chandelier and wall-dial puzzles in the assembly hall
- 6. To Rest in a Forgotten Field — Follow the path to the Teemic Mire
- 7. Chorus of Solace — Defeat Zhara the Immortal Firebird and reach the ending
Subquest 1 — A Sprout Without a Gardener

This is the opening chapter. Defeat the Volkodlak led by the gang boss, Anvil. Once the fight ends, speak with Anvil again. He explains that a valuable treasure was stolen from the village of Okurov and points you toward where it is being kept.
Follow the quest marker to the makeshift storage area. You will find a tunnel sealed off by fallen boulders, with a cart and a traction mechanism nearby. Open the Fab-Vision mode and scan the area. Remove the Grappling Gun construct that holds the cart in place. Freeing it lets the cart roll forward and smash through the boulders sealing the tunnel.
Head into the tunnel and move up to the crate marked with a Prime Ice Hook. Activate Fab-Vision again and summon a Grappling Gun next to the Prime Ice Hook. This breaks open the crate. Instead of treasure, you find an unconscious girl — Nastya. Once she wakes up, agree to help her return home. Clear the route using Eternal Ice constructs and follow the path down toward Okurov. Arriving at the village completes A Sprout Without a Gardener and leads into the next chapter.
Subquest 2 — Transplanted From Yesterday to Tomorrow

Transplanted From Yesterday to Tomorrow is a World Quest in Genshin Impact and the second part of the In the Dwelling of Life storyline. The Traveler continues escorting Nastya toward the assembly hall she keeps referring to as her home.
Follow the objective marker toward the ruined railway tracks. Eventually, the group reaches an old station where a strange barrier blocks the direct route. You cannot go through the barrier directly.
To pass through the station with Nastya:
- Build a Grappling Gun near the window with a grapple point to make an opening and enter the building through it.
- Pick up the item behind the counter, then pull the lever to open the first door for Nastya.
- Head upstairs to get outside, then take a detour to the other side.
- Leap off the roof and pull the lever on the other side to open the second gate, letting Nastya pass through.
Once the station is open, Nastya will continue leading the way toward the village. Follow her until you reach the barrier, where a short story sequence involving the Catch the Pest Beetle game begins. After Nastya runs ahead, you need to find the correct path. From the wall where the group separates, turn right. Follow the path toward the waterfall and defeat the Hydro Slimes there. Continue toward the sewer outlet and turn left. Keep moving until a Leshy blocks the path. Defeat the Leshy and look for the fallen wooden fence beside the encounter area. Climb over it and follow the trail on the other side. This leads you to the sewer entrance and the start of the next subquest.
Subquest 3 — Down in the Dumps

This is the most notorious subquest in the chain — the three-keycard sewer puzzle. After falling into the sewer, interact with the book on the table in the corner to find the Sewer Entrance and Exit Guide left by Doctor Moreau. This gives you the layout of the sewer system.
You need to collect three keycards — Blue, White, and Red — to unlock the control room and get back to the surface. Each keycard is in a different section of the sewer and guarded by puzzles or enemies. The order matters and backtracking is common if you explore randomly.
Our dedicated Down in the Dumps quest guide covers every keycard location and the route through the sewer step by step. This is the longest individual subquest in the chain, so having a clear map of the layout saves a lot of time.
Subquest 4 — Back on One’s Feet

Back on One’s Feet begins right after completing Down in the Dumps. You need to enter Ove’s house and explore it with Nastya. The front door is locked, so climb the stacked boxes in front of the door to reach the roof, then drop down inside.
- Inside, destroy two wooden boxes to reveal a basement.
- To progress in the cellar, destroy the blockade using a Grappling Gun.
- Pick up the lever and return to the gate to open it. Grab another lever inside. Do not miss the Precious Chest in this area.
- Slide through the opening to go forward. You may need to build a Prime Ice Cube to make enough room to slide through.
- Regroup with Nastya and activate the elevator to end the subquest.
Furiosa also appears during this subquest and must be fought. Use slides and dodges to avoid her attacks, and make use of healing drops scattered around the arena. Completing this subquest makes the lift to the assembly hall active, which leads into the next subquest automatically. Check out our Furiosa Local Legend guide for full details on her attack patterns.
Subquest 5 — Forbidding Doors of Melancholy

This is the most puzzle-heavy subquest in the chain. It takes place inside the assembly hall and involves chandelier mechanics, curtain switches, and a colored seal wall dial. The quest starts automatically after Back on One’s Feet and begins at the lift going up to the hall.
The key steps in order are:
- Ride the lift and defeat Furiosa on the bridge before the hall entrance.
- Enter the assembly hall. Let Nastya crawl through a crack to open the metal side door for you.
- Build a Grappling Gun, pull the first chandelier down, step on it, and remove the Grappling Gun to ride it up to the first curtain switch.
- Use the second chandelier the same way to reach the second switch. Collect the nearby Cryoculus while you are up there.
- Speak with Paimon and activate both switches when her countdown reaches one — they must fire simultaneously.
- Solve the colored seal wall dial — pull the disc left with a Grappling Gun, place a Cube under it to lock it, remove the Grappling Gun — to reveal the hidden elevator.
- Ride the elevator, interact with glowing marks, get trapped by the pedestal, defeat all Leshies, pick up Nastya’s item, and install it on the pedestal to disable the trap.
For the complete step-by-step walkthrough of this subquest, see our Forbidding Doors of Melancholy guide. This subquest rewards 50 Primogems on completion.
Subquest 6 — To Rest in a Forgotten Field

To Rest in a Forgotten Field begins automatically after Forbidding Doors of Melancholy. The hidden stairs revealed by the pedestal trap lead you out of the assembly hall and into a new area. Follow the path as it takes you toward the Teemic Mire.
This subquest is more story-driven and less puzzle-heavy than the previous ones. Continue along the path with Nastya, following the quest markers through the field. You will encounter a brief combat section along the way — clear the enemies and keep moving. The route takes you through the mire toward the final area where the last subquest begins.
Make sure to activate any Teleport Waypoints you find along the way. The Teemic Mire is a new sub-region of Flamefeather Valley, and having fast travel points here is useful for exploration after the quest chain ends.
Subquest 7 — Chorus of Solace

Chorus of Solace is the finale of the entire In the Dwelling of Life chain. The Traveler meets Koshchei and finally learns more about the “home” Nastya has been trying to reach throughout the entire quest chain. The story reaches its emotional conclusion here.
Before the ending can play out, you must defeat Zhara the Immortal Firebird — the final boss of the chain. Zhara is a large Pyro bird boss fought in TPS shooter mode. Key tips for this fight:
- Keep moving at all times. Zhara’s fire attacks cover wide areas and standing still is dangerous.
- Target its weak points when they appear during attack animations.
- Use the healing drops and ammo scattered around the arena. There are enough resources to sustain through the full fight.
- After enough damage, Zhara enters a weakened state — push through with everything you have to finish the fight.
After defeating Zhara, say goodbye to Nastya, and you receive a special fragment containing part of the Eye of Graeae’s lost power. This is the Pebble of Serpentine Algae — one of the three fragments needed to restore the full Eye of Graeae. You also unlock the “Gather for Everlasting Happiness” achievement for completing the chain.
Quest Rewards — Full Chain
Here is a summary of the major rewards across the full In the Dwelling of Life quest chain:
- Pebble of Serpentine Algae — Eye of Graeae fragment (required for An Ark That Used to Be a Soul)
- Primogems (across multiple subquests — Forbidding Doors of Melancholy alone gives 50)
- Hero’s Wit and upgrade materials
- Mora and Adventure EXP
- “Gather for Everlasting Happiness” achievement
- Unlock of the Flamefeather Valley sub-region for full exploration
Note: You know the chain is done when Aksinya walks away, In the Dwelling of Life shows as completed in the Adventure Journal, and the achievement pops. Even after completing the chain, you keep Goggles and all its exploration powers — Prime Ice Constructs, train driving, and cold resistance in Snezhnaya all remain available.
Important Tips for the Full Chain
- Always have Eternal Ice stocked up. Almost every subquest requires Grappling Guns and Cube Prime Ice Constructs. Running out mid-puzzle wastes time.
- If a door won’t open or a subquest won’t advance, check for a Prime Ice construct that is still placed incorrectly. Several doors only stay open when a cube holds them while a Grappling Gun is dismantled. Removing or rebuilding the right construct usually fixes the issue.
- Activate every Teleport Waypoint you find throughout the chain. The route goes deep into Flamefeather Valley and fast travel points save a lot of time during and after the quest.
- Do not rush through the sewer section. The Down in the Dumps keycard puzzle is the most confusing part of the whole chain. Reading the sewer guide book inside gives you the layout you need.
- Make sure to grab every chest you see. Several Precious and Luxurious Chests are found along the chain’s route and are easy to miss if you rush forward.
What Comes After In the Dwelling of Life?
The Pebble of Serpentine Algae you earn is one of three fragments needed to complete the Eye of Graeae. The other two come from:
- Hesperides of Love and Hate — gives the Pebble of Freezing Heart. See our Hesperides of Love and Hate quest guide.
- On One Side a Palace, On the Other a Tomb — gives the Pebble of Crystalline Essence. This chain takes you to the Pale Crown Palace in White Birch Snowgrave. See our guide on how to reach White Birch Snowgrave to get started.
Once all three Pebbles are collected and the Eye of Graeae is fully restored, the final quest chain — Her Palace Collapses Into the Blizzard — begins automatically. This is the culmination of the entire Snezhnaya world quest storyline.
More Snezhnaya Guides
- Down in the Dumps quest guide — full three-keycard sewer walkthrough.
- Forbidding Doors of Melancholy guide — chandelier and wall dial puzzle solutions.
- A Great Heart Fettered by Slender Chains — free the giant Snegovik with this guide.
- Snezhnaya Shrine of Depths locations — all Luxurious Chest keys in the region.
- Frostfairy Flower locations — Snezhnaya’s local specialty for ascension materials.
- All Local Legends in Snezhnaya — every powerful elite enemy on the map.
- Shadow Wingdrop guide — build Shadow Realm Combat Stamina for tough fights in this chain.
- Stellar Glimmer reaction guide — master the new elemental reactions in version 7.0.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you start In the Dwelling of Life in Genshin Impact?
Head to the Statue of the Seven in Flamefeather Valley, which is west of the Central Station and southwest of Morepesok. Just south of the statue you will find an NPC called The Anvil. Approach him to trigger a fight with him and his Volkodlak crew. Defeat them and the In the Dwelling of Life quest chain starts immediately. You must first have activated the Statue of the Seven in Snezhnograd to reach this area.
How many quests are in In the Dwelling of Life?
There are seven subquests in total: A Sprout Without a Gardener, Transplanted From Yesterday to Tomorrow, Down in the Dumps, Back on One’s Feet, Forbidding Doors of Melancholy, To Rest in a Forgotten Field, and Chorus of Solace. Each one starts automatically after the previous one ends — there are no separate triggers between them.
What reward do you get for completing In the Dwelling of Life?
The main reward for completing the full chain is the Pebble of Serpentine Algae, which is one of the three Eye of Graeae fragments needed to start the final Snezhnaya world quest chain, Her Palace Collapses Into the Blizzard. You also earn the “Gather for Everlasting Happiness” achievement and receive Primogems, Hero’s Wit, Mora, and Adventure EXP across the various subquests.
Who is the final boss of In the Dwelling of Life?
The final boss is Zhara the Immortal Firebird, fought during the last subquest, Chorus of Solace. Zhara is a large Pyro bird boss fought in TPS shooter mode. Keep moving to avoid her wide-area fire attacks, target her weak points during attack animations, and use the healing drops and ammo scattered around the arena to stay alive through the fight.