Players commonly reach the Jinming Pool chest and become stuck when Tang Ji’an refuses to open it without the Explosive Device Plans. The game does not provide a quest marker or hint, which leads to confusion and frequent searches such as “Where Winds Meet Explosive Device Plans location,” “Explosive Device Plans not showing,” “Soaring Eagle not starting,” “Wooden Eagle pieces locations,” and “How to open the chest after Jinming Pool.”
The reason this happens is that the Explosive Device Plans are not found in Jinming Pool and are not part of the main story reward.
Instead, they are locked behind a hidden series of steps involving Jade Mirror Pond, the three Wooden Eagle parts, Shi Shouxin, and the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale, which only appears after a daily reset. Because none of these steps are explained in-game, many players assume the quest is bugged.
This guide gives a clear, step-by-step explanation of where to find the Explosive Device Plans, why they are tied to Soaring Eagle, and how to complete every requirement efficiently. It covers all high-value search topics, including Explosive Device Plans location, Soaring Eagle trigger conditions, Jade Mirror Pond eagle parts, and opening the Jinming Pool chest, allowing players to progress without extra backtracking or guesswork.
Clear Answer (Early Summary)
The Explosive Device Plans in Where Winds Meet are located inside the secret underground cave reached during the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale. This item cannot be found in Jinming Pool and will not appear until the required steps are completed.
To unlock the Soaring Eagle quest and access the Explosive Device Plans location, the player must:
- Collect all three Wooden Eagle pieces in Jade Mirror Pond
These pieces are found underwater, inside a waterfall cave, and at a grave near the eagle-shaped pond. - Assemble the Wooden Eagle and give it to Shi Shouxin
After the pieces are delivered to Li Shoujie on the Jade Mirror Pond bridge, take the completed eagle to Shi Shouxin, located in the temple south of South Imperial Garden. - Wait for a daily reset (about 24 hours real time)
The Soaring Eagle encounter will not start until after a real-world daily reset.
Once Soaring Eagle becomes available and is completed, the Explosive Device Plans appear on a shelf in the final cave (Kite Hangar / Mozi Shrine underground area). This is the only place where the plans can be obtained.
After picking up the plans, return to Tang Ji’an at the Jinming Pool dock. Giving him the Explosive Device Plans unlocks the option to open the chest after Jinming Pool.
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1. Why the Explosive Device Plans Are Required
The Explosive Device Plans are essential for opening the Jinming Pool chest because the game treats this chest as a knowledge-based requirement, not a standard loot reward.
The NPC Tang Ji’an will only unlock the chest if the player holds the Explosive Device Plans, which act as proof that the player understands the warship’s explosive systems encountered earlier in the story.
These plans do not drop during the Jinming Pool quest and cannot be found anywhere in the Jinming Pool area. This is why many players search for terms like “Explosive Device Plans not in Jinming Pool” or “How to open chest after Jinming Pool.”
Instead, the Explosive Device Plans are linked to the separate Wooden Eagle → Soaring Eagle quest chain. This chain begins in Jade Mirror Pond, continues through the assembly of the Wooden Eagle, and ends inside the final Soaring Eagle cave, where the plans are located. The storyline also ties into Murong Yuan’s arc, which is why the plans appear only after completing these related narrative steps.
This structure ensures that players complete the full Wooden Eagle and Soaring Eagle progression before attempting to open the Jinming Pool chest, making the Explosive Device Plans a required part of the broader post–Jinming Pool progression path.
2. Wooden Eagle Pieces — Exact Locations in Jade Mirror Pond
The first step toward obtaining the Explosive Device Plans is collecting all three Wooden Eagle pieces found within Jade Mirror Pond. These pieces unlock the progression that eventually leads to the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale, making them essential for opening the Jinming Pool chest.
Each Wooden Eagle piece is located in a different part of Jade Mirror Pond, and all pieces must be gathered before the quest chain can continue.
Piece 1 — Underwater Shrine
The first Wooden Eagle piece is located beneath the water surface near the central gazebo in Jade Mirror Pond.
Enter the pond, dive underwater, and swim toward the small shrine-like structure. Interact with it to obtain the piece. This underwater location is easy to miss, making it one of the most commonly overlooked steps for players stuck at the Jinming Pool chest.
Piece 2 — Waterfall Cave
The second Wooden Eagle piece is hidden behind a waterfall in the same area.
Climb the rocks around the waterfall and move to the upper ledge, where a small cave is revealed behind the falling water. Enter the cave and collect the eagle part inside. This cave is important because it establishes the exploration path used later during the Soaring Eagle encounter.
Piece 3 — Grave Near the Eagle-Shaped Pond
The final Wooden Eagle piece is located northwest of the Jade Mirror Pond bridge.
Open the map and look for a small pond whose outline resembles an eagle spreading its wings. Travel to this distinctive landmark and locate the grave sitting beside the water. Use the Dig interaction at the grave to uncover the third and final piece. This specific location is frequently searched by players who cannot find the last Wooden Eagle part.
Once all three Wooden Eagle pieces are collected, the next step is assembling the eagle and advancing toward the Soaring Eagle quest, which ultimately leads to the Explosive Device Plans location.
3. Assembling the Wooden Eagle
Once all three Wooden Eagle pieces have been collected in Jade Mirror Pond, the next required step is assembling them into a complete Wooden Eagle. This assembly is essential for progressing toward the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale, which ultimately leads to the Explosive Device Plans location.
To assemble the eagle:
- Travel to the bridge in the center of Jade Mirror Pond, a key landmark in the area.
- Speak to Li Shoujie, the NPC positioned on the bridge.
- When presented with all three Wooden Eagle parts, Li Shoujie automatically assembles them into a single, finished Wooden Eagle item.
This step is a critical progression flag in Where Winds Meet. If the Wooden Eagle is not assembled by Li Shoujie, the game will not activate the later steps, including:
- The interaction with Shi Shouxin,
- The daily reset trigger, and
- The appearance of the Soaring Eagle encounter at Jade Mirror Pond.
Many players searching for solutions to “Soaring Eagle not starting” or “Why Shi Shouxin won’t take the eagle” often discover that they never completed this assembly step. Delivering the pieces to Li Shoujie ensures the storyline progresses correctly toward obtaining the Explosive Device Plans.
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4. Delivering the Wooden Eagle to Shi Shouxin
After assembling the Wooden Eagle, the next required step is delivering it to Shi Shouxin, an NPC whose interaction is essential for unlocking the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale. This hand-in serves as the narrative bridge between the Wooden Eagle puzzle and the later events that lead to the Explosive Device Plans location.
To find Shi Shouxin:
- Travel to South Imperial Garden in Kaifeng.
- From the garden, head directly south until you reach a temple marked by a cross-shaped roof on the map.
- Enter the temple structure and speak to Shi Shouxin.
- Hand him the assembled Wooden Eagle to complete this progression step.
Delivering the Wooden Eagle to Shi Shouxin sets a mandatory story flag tied to the aftermath of the Murong Yuan storyline. Without this interaction, the game will not allow the Soaring Eagle encounter to appear, even if all Wooden Eagle pieces have been collected and assembled. This is one of the most common reasons players report that Soaring Eagle is not starting or that they cannot continue toward obtaining the Explosive Device Plans needed to open the Jinming Pool chest.
Completing this step ensures that the game recognizes the Wooden Eagle as part of the broader narrative chain and prepares the world state for the next requirement: the daily reset that enables Soaring Eagle to spawn.
5. Daily Reset Requirement — Why Soaring Eagle Won’t Start Immediately
The Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale does not activate as soon as the Wooden Eagle is delivered to Shi Shouxin. Instead, Where Winds Meet requires a daily reset—approximately 24 hours in real-world time—before the encounter becomes available at Jade Mirror Pond. This reset is what enables the new NPCs and triggers needed for the Soaring Eagle quest to appear.
Because of this hidden timing rule, players often believe the quest is bugged when they search for solutions such as “Soaring Eagle not starting” or “Why Soaring Eagle won’t trigger after giving the Wooden Eagle.” In reality, the game simply has not reached the next daily cycle required for the event to spawn.
Changing only the in-game time, such as skipping ahead to You hour, does not bypass the requirement. The server-based daily reset must occur first; afterward, returning to Jade Mirror Pond and approaching the cave path will allow the Soaring Eagle encounter to activate normally.
This timing mechanic is a key part of the progression toward obtaining the Explosive Device Plans, as Soaring Eagle must fully start and finish before the player can reach the final cave where the plans are located.
6. Starting Soaring Eagle — The Correct Trigger Method
Once the daily reset has passed, the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale can finally be triggered at Jade Mirror Pond. This step is crucial because the Soaring Eagle encounter is the only route that leads to the Explosive Device Plans location. If Soaring Eagle does not activate, the player cannot progress toward opening the Jinming Pool chest.
To correctly trigger Soaring Eagle:
- Set the in-game time to You Hour
The encounter is designed to appear more reliably during the evening, so adjusting the time helps ensure the event activates once all prerequisites are met. - Fast travel to Jade Mirror Pond
Use the nearest teleport point to return to the area after the reset has taken effect. - Approach the visible cave entrance on foot
The encounter trigger is tied to the physical path near the cave. Simply standing at the teleport location will not start the event. Move toward the cave area where the Wooden Eagle pieces were previously collected.
When the conditions are satisfied, the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale will activate, spawning new NPCs, dialogue, and quest markers in the Jade Mirror Pond area.
If Soaring Eagle still does not start, confirm the following:
- All three Wooden Eagle pieces were collected.
- The pieces were assembled by Li Shoujie.
- The completed eagle was handed to Shi Shouxin.
- A full daily reset (around 24 hours real time) has passed since delivering the eagle.
- You approached the correct cave path where the event trigger is located.
Completing these checks ensures that the Soaring Eagle encounter activates properly, allowing the player to continue toward the Explosive Device Plans required for the Jinming Pool chest.
7. Explosive Device Plans Location — Inside the Secret Cave
The Explosive Device Plans are obtained only near the end of the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale, inside a hidden underground area linked to Mozi Shrine. This is the definitive Explosive Device Plans location in Where Winds Meet, and no other source in the game provides this item.
During the Soaring Eagle quest:
- Follow the quest NPCs toward Mozi Shrine
As the Soaring Eagle storyline progresses, the NPCs guide you out of Jade Mirror Pond and toward the Mozi Shrine region. This movement signals the approach to the final sequence that leads to the plans. - Enter the underground area known as the Kite Hangar
Near Mozi Shrine, a concealed entrance or trapdoor opens the way to a large underground structure often referred to by players as the Kite Hangar. This area contains multiple tunnels and scripted encounters tied to the conclusion of Soaring Eagle. - Proceed through the tunnels to the final chamber
Follow each marker and continue through the connected passageways. These tunnels are part of the quest path and eventually lead to a story-related chamber involving the aftermath of Murong Yuan’s storyline. - Locate the Explosive Device Plans on a shelf
In the final chamber, look for a wooden shelf or table with an interaction prompt. Interact with this object to pick up the Explosive Device Plans. This pickup completes the item requirement needed to open the Jinming Pool chest.
The plans found inside this underground room are the only Explosive Device Plans available in the game. They do not appear in Jinming Pool, do not drop from enemies, and cannot be acquired before completing the Soaring Eagle chain. Obtaining them here is the final step before returning to Tang Ji’an and unlocking the chest.
8. Opening the Jinming Pool Chest
With the Explosive Device Plans acquired:
- Fast travel to the Bian River Gate / Jinming Pool dock, where Tang Ji’an stands.
- Speak to Tang Ji’an and select the dialogue option to present the Plans.
- After accepting them, he allows access to the golden chest.
This completes the entire sequence required to unlock the post–Jinming Pool reward.
9. Quick Tips for Efficient Completion
These tips help streamline the full progression toward obtaining the Explosive Device Plans and opening the Jinming Pool chest, reducing backtracking and avoiding common issues that prevent the Soaring Eagle encounter from starting.
Collect all three Wooden Eagle pieces in a single trip
Gathering all Wooden Eagle parts during one visit to Jade Mirror Pond prevents unnecessary travel and ensures the assembly step can be completed immediately. This is especially useful for players searching for a fast route to the Explosive Device Plans location.
Deliver the pieces to Li Shoujie before doing anything else
Many cases of “Soaring Eagle not appearing” occur because players forget to hand the Wooden Eagle parts to Li Shoujie on the bridge. Without this assembly step, the game does not recognize that the Wooden Eagle exists, blocking all further progression.
Expect to wait one real-life day after giving the eagle to Shi Shouxin
A daily reset (about 24 hours real time) is required before the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale can trigger. Planning for this wait helps avoid unnecessary troubleshooting when the event does not start immediately.
Approach the Jade Mirror Pond cave entrance directly
The trigger for Soaring Eagle is tied to movement toward the visible cave path, not the teleport point. Walking directly toward the cave ensures the encounter activates once all story flags and the daily reset conditions are met.
Track Wandering Tales in the quest menu to confirm progress
Checking the Wandering Tales section helps verify whether each step of the Wooden Eagle → Soaring Eagle chain has properly registered. This makes it easier to identify missing requirements if the Explosive Device Plans or the Soaring Eagle encounter fail to appear.
10. Comparison Table — Common Player Issues & Correct Solutions
| Problem / Search Query | Cause | Correct Solution |
|---|---|---|
| “Explosive Device Plans not in Jinming Pool” | Plans are not part of Jinming Pool loot | Complete Wooden Eagle → Soaring Eagle chain |
| “Soaring Eagle quest won’t start” | Daily reset not completed | Wait ~24 hours real time, return at You hour |
| “Shi Shouxin won’t accept the eagle” | Wooden Eagle not assembled | Deliver all 3 pieces to Li Shoujie first |
| “Third Wooden Eagle piece missing” | Grave interaction overlooked | Dig at the grave near the eagle-shaped pond |
| “Tang Ji’an still won’t open chest” | Plans not collected from final cave | Acquire the Explosive Device Plans from the shelf inside Kite Hangar |
| “Where are the Explosive Device Plans?” | Unknown plan location | Plans are found only during Soaring Eagle, near the quest finale |
Conclusion
The Explosive Device Plans in Where Winds Meet are intentionally hidden behind a layered sequence involving Jade Mirror Pond, Wooden Eagle assembly, a daily reset, and the Soaring Eagle Wandering Tale.
Once the correct steps are followed, the Plans become accessible, allowing the player to return to Tang Ji’an and open the Jinming Pool chest without issue.