Genshin Impact Lore: How Many Adepti Are There and Who Are They?

The Adepti of Genshin Impact are a group of illuminated beasts and gods that mainly originate from Liyue. Most Adepti are illuminated beasts who carry power that is worth half an Archon and are often worshipped as Gods in Liyue. Players were first introduced to the concept of Adepti in the game when Zhongli, Rex Lapis’ mortal vessel, became a playable character.

Adepti are naturally-born illuminated beasts who were often contracted to different gods. It can be argued that some Adepti are ‘created,’ as seen with halfbreeds like Ganyu. So far, Genshin Impact has only officially introduced Adepti which originated from Liyue, and many players are eager to know if they might come from other lands as well.

Zhongli – Prime of Adepti (Leader of the Adepti)

When Zhongli was known as Morax during his years as an Archon, he was considered to be the leader as well as the ancestor of all Adepti. This did not necessarily mean all Adepti in Genshin Impact were made from Morax, but simply related to him through their similar Adeptal energies and blood. The only Adeptus who was granted the illuminated beast blessing from Morax was Madame Ping, and yet to this day, many are unsure of what this ‘blessing’ truly is. Many Adepti through history (and the modern day) are in binding contracts with Morax to protect Liyue.

The Illuminated Adepti

Cloud Retainer (Xianyun)

Cloud Retainer is considered to be one of the mighty Adepti of Jueyun and is a loyal follower of Morax. As a beast that is over 6,000 years old, Cloud Retainer has lived through many wars, one of which was the Archon War in Genshin Impact. This is where she also lost her close friend, Guizhong, with whom she often engaged in friendly competitions over their inventions. In honor of her memory, she modeled the Guizhong Ballista after her, which is to this day, used by the Millelith of Liyue.

Most players already know Cloud Retainer in her crane form as the Master of Ganyu and Shenhe from previous Genshin Impact Archon quests, and her growing interest in humanity did not just stop there. In Version 4.4, players are introduced to a playable model of Cloud Retainer, also known as Xianyun in her human form.

Moon Carver (Houzhang)

As an Adeptus that dwells in Qingyun Peak in Liyue, Moon Carver is one of the many Adepti that rarely interact with mortals. Similar to other Adeptal beings under contract with Morax, Moon Carver also rallied with the Geo Lord during the Archon War. He was also one of the three Adepti who helped Morax imprison Azhdaha underneath Nantiamen in Genshin Impact.

Players were introduced to Moon Carver during the Liyue Arc of Genshin Impact’s Archon Quests, and he was also one of the Adepti that helped defeat the reawakened Osial. He is more commonly seen in his stag form. However, in the Version 4.4 Lantern Rite event, players were introduced to a human version. Moon Carver’s human name is Houzhang, and players meet him with Mountain Shaper when they visit Liyue Harbor.

Mountain Shaper (Jiehu)

Mountain Shaper is a crane Adepti that resides on Mt. Hulao in Liyue. He, much like the other Adepti, is also under contract with Morax to protect the people of Liyue in Genshin Impact. Unfortunately, very little is known about Mountain Shaper’s personality, except that his power stems from knowledge.

Something that many players might not know is that, during the Archon War, Mountain Shaper became the reason Qiqi of Genshin Impact is still alive today. He was forced to imprison her in amber after the warrior Adepti imbued her with their power following her death. Even though the power revived her and made Qiqi the ‘zombie’ she is today, the child could not handle the energy and went on a rampage. It is only after Mountain Shaper encased her in amber did her powers begin to subside to a normal state.

Madame Ping (Streetward Rambler)

Streetward Rambler, which is her Adeptus name, currently goes by Madame Ping and is one of the oldest Adepti living in Liyue. Her dwelling is in a teapot realm she created for herself, but her main location on Tevyat is Yuehai Pavilion. Most players will famously know Madame Ping as the elderly lady who gifted them the Serenitea Pot, which is an Adeptal realm where players can design their own homes in Genshin Impact. Aside from that, Madame Ping is also Yanfei’s caretaker, as well as Xiangling and Yaoyao’s martial arts master. During the Version 4.4 Lantern Rite cutscene, players could witness the four of them enjoying the festival together over some tea.

Skybracer

As an Adeptus who was known for his bravery during the Archon War, not much is known about Sky Bracer and how he came to be an Adeptus. According to the lore that players can read on Mt. Tianheng, Skybracer’s antlers were gifted to him by Morax and contained the substance of the Divine. They were once considered to be the hardest substance in Liyue, which is why, when an opposing god slashed Mt. Tianheng during the Archon War, Skybracer asked a fellow Adeptus to cut off his antlers and use them as a wedge to stop the mountain from collapsing. This caused Mt. Tianheng to rise several meters higher into the air than it originally was. It is now known as one of the tallest peaks in Genshin Impact.

A small bit of Genshin Impact lore that players might find fascinating is that, when Skybracer eventually passed away from his wounds during the Archon War, the blood that gushed out from his head became what players know today as Bishui River.

Ganyu

Ganyu is a half-Qilin Adeptus who also currently serves under a contract with Morax. Qilin is a type of mythical species that originated only from Liyue and prefers solitude most of all. But since Ganyu is only half-Qilin, her human side enjoys Liyue food, working as Secretary of the Qixing, and conversing with her fellow Adepti peers. In Genshin Impact, Ganyu is special due to the human blood she shares, since not many Adepti in Tevyat choose to have mortal relationships.

Sea Gazer

Probably one of the oldest Adepti that has ever lived, Sea Gazer perished long before the events of Genshin Impact. It was only during the second year of Lantern Rite festivities did players witness Sea Gazer’s appearance when he was honored during the festival. So far, the game has only released a little information regarding Sea Gazer, most notably his ownership of the Fantastic Compass. At some point in his life, he came into possession of the device, which was made by an unknown person. Eventually, he passed the Compass on to another unknown mortal man. When monsters started appearing in the Chasm centuries ago, the unknown mortal and Sea Gazer had to work together to operate the Compass and repel the monsters. He used to reside in Lisha, which housed his most prized possession, the Sunset Vermillionite that the Traveler and Paimon had to retrieve in order to rebuild the Jade Chamber.

Fujin

Fujin is the Adepti players have most recently been introduced to after the 4.4 update. She first appears in the World Quest Qiaoying of the Sacred Mountain when entering the new area and currently resides in Chenyu Vale. Fujin of Genshin Impact was one of the few Adepti who was not contracted under Morax, instead being a servant of an unknown god in Chenyu Vale. She was originally a gigantic carp that lived in the waters of the region and was known for her kindness toward humanity. She would often take on a human form and perform ceremonies like the Rainjade Rite, which benefited the mortals who lived in the area. She also planted the first tea bush in Chenyu Vale, which has resulted in the region being known as a tea-producing area that’s world famous for the quality of its tea leaves.

Herblord

Players were introduced to Herblord during Genshin Impact’s Version 4.4 Chenyu Vale main World Quest. Herblord was an Adeptus who resided on Mt. Yaojun in Chenyu Vale and, along with Fujin, was the servant of an unnamed god. Much like Fujin, Herblord was also close to humanity and often took on a human form to use her knowledge of medicine to save the sick.

Unfortunately, her life as an Adeptus in Chenyu Vale did not last long due to the misdeeds of her master. When Genshin Impact’sArchon War reached Chenyu Vale, Herblord and Fujin’s master flooded the Bishui River in an attempt to defeat Morax. However, this act would have destroyed the people in the Valley, so both of them chose to defect against their god and save the people in the area.

After the crisis was resolved, Herblord left Chenyu Vale and settled somewhere in Liyue Harbor, according to Fujin. It is heavily implied that Changsheng — the snake that travels with Baizhu — is actually the Adeptus Herblord. Both are white snakes that are known to be proficient in medicine and were originally from Chenyu Vale, but now live in Liyue Harbor in Genshin Impact.

Guardian Yakshas

The Guardian Yakshas were a group of elite Adepti contracted under Rex Lapis during the Archon War. They were specially recognized for their military efforts in battle and overwhelming strength. Following the war, the Yakshas were summoned by the Geo Archon to fight against the demons that had spawned from the remains of the fallen gods, but many of them could not handle the darkness that manifested from this mission.

Alatus (Xiao)

Xiao is an illuminated beast who is currently the only living Yaksha in Genshin Impact. As one of the five Yakshas that rallied under Morax to help suppress the chaos of the fallen gods, Xiao is one of the youngest, even though he is said to be over 2,000 years old. During his years of naivety and innocence, he was exploited by a cruel god who used his weakness against him and forced him to perform heinous acts on the god’s behalf. This included killing innocent civilians and devouring the dreams of his victims. Fortunately, his torture came to an end when Morax saved him and bestowed upon him the name of Xiao, who was said to be a being that Morax recognized for his perseverance and strength to overcome the worst.

After dealing with the remnants of the Archon War, all the Yakshas were stained with karmic debt and eventually succumbed to it in various ways until Xiao was the only one left. He too nearly gave in to the chaos at one point but was saved by the calming sound of Venti’s lyre during one of the Anemo Archon’s visits to Liyue. After the Qixing built Wangshu Inn in Genshin Impact, it served as Xiao’s main resting point after battles. It is also a place where he discovered his love for Almond Tofu, the only mortal food he can consume, as the texture reminds him of the dreams he used to devour in the past.

Bosacius

Bosacius was also known as Marshal Vritras and the leader of the five Yakshas. As the eldest amongst them, he often took on the mantle of a ‘brotherly figure’ for his comrades, viewing his duty to Morax with the utmost pride as he dedicated his life to battle. After the fall of his comrades, he and Xiao were the last remaining amongst the guardian Yaksha, and Bosacius, too, ended up losing his sanity due to the karmic debt. In his last moments, he buried all his treasure in the region of Minlin and disappeared without a trace. This was the last time Xiao ever heard from him, and it is only through the Perilous Trail quest that players get more information on what happened to Bosacius in Genshin Impact.

The Yaksha Bosacius eventually reappeared in the Chasm 500 years ago during the Cataclysm and fought together with the Milllelith to guard Liyue from the monsters. Because Bosacius lost his mind, he could not remember his name and so the Millelith dubbed him the Nameless Yaksha. He was said to have ventured deeper into the Chasm with Boyang (an ancestor of Yelan) to use the Fantastic Compass that required both Adeptal and mortal energy to defeat the monsters. Both of them sacrificed their lives for Liyue, but the people did not find out until 500 years later when the Traveler and the rest of the team ventured into the Chasm to learn its secrets in Genshin Impact.

Menogias

As the Geo Yaksha, Menogias was also known as General Kapisas during his time on the battlefield. It is only recently that players learn more about Menogias through Xiao and Xianyun in the Version 4.4 Lantern Rite Festival. He is said to have had a hobby of designing clothes that were not only elegant but also heightened one’s Adeptal prowess. It seems that Morax was also extremely fond of Menogias’s designs, often commissioning the Yaksha to design many of his clothes, including the garments he currently wears in Genshin Impact.

Additionally, Xianyun addresses the jovial relationship that existed between Menogias and Bonanus, where the designer once made his fellow Yaksha a dress. Bonanus herself was not too pleased with the design as she believed it would hinder her movement in battle due to the length of the skirt. However, Menogias of Genshin Impact believed it would showcase her ethereal beauty as an Adepti and refused to compromise on any changes due to his own stubbornness. Menogias eventually succumbed to his karmic debt after some time and lost his mind. It is implied that he perished in battle against Bonanus.

Bonanus

As the guardian Hydro Yaksha in Genshin Impact, Bonanus was known for her quiet beauty and military strength. She and Indarius were often side by side in battle and out, as the two of them were especially close. She and Menogias were close as well, but the two of them succumbed to their karmic debt simultaneously. It’s believed that they fought to the death, perishing beside one another.

Indarius

Except for her official name on the field, General Musatus, not much is known about the Pyro Yaksha. Through various memories of Bosacius and Xiao, it is implied that she was extremely close to Bonanus. Indarius seems to have gone mad with fear and grief about losing her fellow Yaksha comrades and Adepti friends during the Archon War in Genshin Impact.

Honorable Mentions

Pervases

A Yaksha that perished over 1,000 years ago, Pervases was a junior in the Guardian Yaksha order and a close friend of Bosacius whom players meet for the first time during Xiao’s Story Quest: Alatus Chapter I. He received his namesake from Morax and was also under contract with the god during the Archon War in Genshin Impact. After he perished, his spirit managed to linger on, and it manifested into his current form, dwelling inside his crane statue in his temple. It is only on the one-thousandth anniversary of his death does the Traveler run into him when out on a mission with Xiao, albeit as a spirit.

Yanfei (and Her Father)

As one of the few half-illuminated beasts that resides in Liyue, Yanfei is not contracted to Morax and instead works as a legal officer in the city. The Adeptal blood in her veins originates from her father’s side, and according to Madame Ping, her father has a more dignified constitution compared to his boisterous daughter. Compared to other Adepti, who prefer to use their powers to protect the citizens of Liyue in Genshin Impact, Yanfei prefers to use her profession as a legal advisor to make sure that all parties in her cases are well looked after and receive fair treatment as per the laws. On a side note, it is speculated that her father is an Adepti whose original form is that of a deer, which players can notice through Yanfei’s design.

Kamuna Harunosuke

Harunosuke was a prominent historical figure in Inazuma around 500 years ago. Though originally human, Harunosuke is considered to have a connection to the Adeptal arts because he was an onmyouji who was dual-trained by the Adepti of Liyue and Inazuma’s Tengu in Genshin Impact. Players may remember him from the limited-time Labyrinth Warriors event where he used his Onmyoudou arts to make Shiki Taishou, as well as the World Quest Sacrificial Offering.

Tubby & Chubby

Tubby and Chubby are both Teapot Spirits that reside in the Serenitea Teapot. Both of them have the Adeptal power of subspace creation, similar to that of Streetward Rambler in Genshin Impact.