Where Winds Meet Imperial Palace Update Guide: Cat Emperor, Sealed Treasury, and More
Where Winds Meet has opened its Imperial Palace location as part of the major May 2026 update. The sprawling new area in Kaifeng City brings world bosses, group encounters, delves, minigames, a challenge tower, and limited-time events — all running through June 25, 2026.
Developed by Everstone Studio and published by NetEase, Where Winds Meet is a martial arts MMORPG set in Song Dynasty China.
New Location: Imperial Palace in Kaifeng City
The Imperial Palace is a new landmass in Kaifeng City with substantial terrain to explore. The area contains multiple layers of content for solo players, small groups, and full 10-player groups.
New Activities
Secret Oddities
There are 4 new secret oddities hidden throughout the Imperial Palace area. These are exploration-based collectibles requiring players to search the space carefully.
Minigames
Multiple minigames are available in the Imperial Palace:
- Ultimate Slap — PvP-adjacent reaction game
- Cricket Fighting — strategy-based insect fighting (historically accurate to the Song Dynasty setting)
- Several additional minigames not individually named in the launch notes
Sealed Treasury (Delve)
A new solo or small group delve into the Sealed Treasury beneath the palace. Delves in Where Winds Meet are instanced progression dungeons.
Resounding Majesty (10-Player Encounter)
A new 10-player group encounter scaled for coordinated guild groups. This is the flagship raid-tier experience in the new content.
World Bosses: Gilded Lament and Cat Emperor
Two new world bosses spawn in the Imperial Palace:
- Gilded Lament — described as a significant threat tying into the palace’s lore
- Cat Emperor — yes, exactly what it sounds like. A boss that is, in fact, an emperor who is a cat. Expect this to be a community favorite.
Skyward Bond Challenge Tower (First 5 Floors)
The Skyward Bond is a new challenge tower structure being introduced in stages. The first five floors are available now. Expect additional floors in future patches.
New Events (Through June 25)
Several limited-time events accompany the Imperial Palace launch. These run until June 25, 2026 — mark your calendar if you want to complete them before expiration.
Additional Update Changes
The broader patch (not just the Imperial Palace) also includes:
- Martial path tutorials — new tutorial series introducing the additional martial paths to new and returning players
- Guild war changes — revisions to how guild vs. guild conflict operates
- Controller improvements in build mode — better input support for gamepad users placing structures
- World map UI updates — visual and usability improvements to the world map
- New mount skills — additional abilities for mounts
- New chat channels — expanded communication options
How to Get There
Access to the Imperial Palace opens naturally through the main Kaifeng City zone progression. Players who have unlocked Kaifeng City should be able to enter the palace area directly.
Summary
The Imperial Palace update is one of Where Winds Meet’s largest content drops since launch. For returning players, the Cat Emperor fight alone is worth coming back for — and the Resounding Majesty 10-player encounter offers an endgame group challenge while Skyward Bond provides solo progression. Events run through June 25, so log in before then to avoid missing the limited-time content.
Last Verified: May 2026
