The Traces of Spring event runs through Windtail's Jianghu and revolves around one loop: fish Black Bream, submit to My Warehouse, collect Spring Essence, Echo Jade, and Jade Fish. The optimal submission is four Black Bream at combined value 48 — each turn-in rewards Echo Jade x10 + Jade Fish x150 flat, every time. For fastest farming, go straight to Heaven's Pier, use Tai Chi in surrounding waters, then switch to Worm Bait in deeper channels.
Event Overview
Traces of Spring is a submission-based seasonal event. Fish, submit, collect — that's the core loop. But efficiency separates players who clear every milestone from those who run out of time.
Each My Warehouse submission generates Spring Essence based on material value, plus the flat Echo Jade x10 + Jade Fish x150 regardless of batch size. That means submission frequency matters as much as total value. Don't overthink it: stack four Black Bream, submit, repeat.
Compared to prior seasonal events, Traces of Spring leans entirely into fishing — no combat gates, no crafting chains. Good news for F2P players. You can farm at your own pace all day.
Best Rewards to Prioritize
Echo Jade first. Every submission drops x10, making it the most consistently accessible premium-adjacent currency here. Jade Fish x150 per turn-in stacks fast if you're submitting multiple times per session.
Tier 1 — Must-have (limited, non-recurring): Anything tagged event-exclusive in the My Warehouse reward pool. These won't return in future seasonal rotations. If you're choosing between a cosmetic and Echo Jade, the cosmetic wins only if it's confirmed non-recurring.
Tier 2 — Valuable but passive: Jade Fish and general crafting materials. You'll accumulate these naturally through submissions — no need to target them specifically.
Tier 3 — Skip: Consumables and common materials available in the regular game economy. Your Black Bream time is worth more.
F2P Priority Order
Hit the first Spring Essence milestone (best Echo Jade per effort)
Claim all flat Echo Jade x10 from submissions before chasing cosmetics
Pursue cosmetics only if you're on pace to clear milestones with time left
The event is genuinely F2P-viable. Worm Bait is obtainable in-game, Heaven's Pier needs no premium unlock, and there's no hard daily fishing cap.
Light spenders targeting limited cosmetics before the event closes: Where Winds Meet Echo Jade cheap top up 2026 can stretch your budget further than standard in-game recharge rates.
Black Bream: What It Is and Why It Matters
Black Bream is a fish material from open water and rivers in Windtail's Jianghu. During Traces of Spring, it's the primary submission material — essentially the event's fuel. No Black Bream means no Spring Essence, no flat rewards, no milestone progress.
Optimal batch: four Black Bream per submission, value 48. Submitting fewer technically works but wastes submission slots and cuts your flat reward frequency. Never submit fewer than four unless you're clearing out inventory at event's end.
How much do you need total? Depends on your milestone targets. Since each four-fish submission triggers one reward cycle, plan for consistent daily sessions rather than single marathon runs. Heaven's Pier's reliable Black Bream population makes this realistic without burnout.
How to Farm Black Bream Fast
Heaven's Pier. That's the answer. Officially confirmed as the fastest Black Bream source — both surrounding waters and the rivers feeding into the area hold reliable populations.
Location Breakdown
No meaningful reason to fish elsewhere for this event unless you need a quick top-up before fast-traveling back.
Optimal Farming Loop
Fast travel to Heaven's Pier
Activate Tai Chi in surrounding waters — gather multiple Black Bream quickly
Move to deeper water channels near the pier
Switch to Worm Bait — best catch rate in deeper zones
Return to My Warehouse, submit in batches of four
Tai Chi is the speed play. It lets you gather multiple fish in a short window instead of waiting on individual catch animations — the single biggest time-saver in the loop.
Bait Strategy (Most Guides Get This Wrong)
Tai Chi and Worm Bait serve different functions here. Conflating them costs you time.
Tai Chi = speed and volume in shallow/open water. You're sweeping, not waiting for bites.
Worm Bait = catch-rate modifier for deeper water specifically. Doesn't provide the same advantage in shallow areas.
Use both in sequence at the right depth. Players who rely on only one are leaving efficiency on the table.
Daily Checklist and Time Investment
Consistency beats intensity. A focused 20-minute daily session at Heaven's Pier outperforms a two-hour grind followed by days of inactivity — both in total Black Bream gathered and in flat Echo Jade accumulation.
Daily Tasks
Fish at Heaven's Pier with Tai Chi (surrounding waters)
Move to deeper channels, switch to Worm Bait
Submit to My Warehouse in batches of four — don't let Black Bream sit in inventory
Check Spring Essence milestone progress before logging off
Time Investment Guide
The efficient tier is the sweet spot. Two to three submissions per day keeps you on pace for full milestone completion without the event eating your entire session.
Late-Joiner Recovery
Started a week in? Heaven's Pier has no early-event spawn advantage — you're not locked out. Run full grind sessions (45–60 min) for your first two or three days to close the gap, then drop to the efficient tier once you're within range of your target milestone.
The key number: four Black Bream per day minimum still generates Echo Jade x10 + Jade Fish x150 every login. Late joiners who stay consistent will clear core reward tiers.
Event Shop and Submission Value
Spring Essence accumulates toward tiered milestone unlocks rather than functioning as direct shop currency. The four-Black-Bream submission at value 48 is the designed optimal batch — not a marginal difference, it's the intended rate. Smaller batches reduce submission frequency and therefore total flat Echo Jade over the event window.
Practical rule: Never submit fewer than four Black Bream at once unless you're clearing remaining inventory at event's end.
Should You Spend Real Currency?
F2P players: the fishing loop is generous enough that premium currency isn't required for core milestones. No hard daily cap, no combat gate, no premium bait requirement.
Players targeting every limited cosmetic or the highest milestone tiers: if you're short on Echo Jade for other concurrent March content, supplementing through a recharge makes sense. The Where Winds Meet recharge discount coupon March 2026 is worth checking — more value per recharge means flexibility across all March content, not just Traces of Spring.
Limited Cosmetics: Worth It?
Spring 2026 exclusive cosmetics are the highest priority for collectors and completionists. The question isn't whether they're good — it's whether they'll return.
They won't. Seasonal cosmetics tied to the Traces of Spring event framing are non-recurring by design. Where Winds Meet's seasonal structure doesn't rotate the same cosmetics back into subsequent years' versions of the same event. This window is your only confirmed opportunity.
Prioritize cosmetics over Jade Fish stockpiling. Jade Fish accumulates naturally through submissions — you'll have plenty by the time you've farmed enough Black Bream for milestone completion. The cosmetics are the time-sensitive element.
Common Mistakes
Submitting fewer than four Black Bream per turn-in. Most common efficiency error. Each submission triggers a flat reward cycle — one fish at a time means one-quarter the value efficiency. Always batch to four.
Fishing outside Heaven's Pier. Generic river spots elsewhere make you work harder for the same result. Heaven's Pier is specifically confirmed as the fastest source. Don't wander.
Skipping Tai Chi in shallow water. Standard fishing in the surrounding waters is slower. Tai Chi is a gathering mechanic — use it where it's designed to work.
Ignoring deeper channels with Worm Bait. Many players fish only the surface areas and miss the best catch-rate zone entirely. The deeper channels near Heaven's Pier are a distinct farming layer.
Hoarding Black Bream instead of submitting. There's no benefit to holding fish in inventory. Each submission generates immediate rewards. Submit as you go — waiting until you have twenty fish delays your flat Echo Jade accumulation unnecessarily.
Spending Spring Essence on Tier 3 items early. If the shop has consumables or common materials, don't touch them until you've secured all Tier 1 limited items.
FAQ
Can I complete the event if I start late? Yes. Heaven's Pier provides consistent Black Bream with no early-event advantage for day-one players. Run full grind sessions (45–60 min) for your first few days, then maintain the efficient daily pace (20–30 min, 2–3 submissions). Core milestones are achievable for late joiners who stay consistent.
Does Black Bream carry over after the event? It exists in the general item pool, but My Warehouse won't accept it for Spring Essence once the event closes. Submit everything before the deadline — don't stockpile expecting future use.
What bait gives the best Black Bream catch rate? Worm Bait in deeper waters around Heaven's Pier. In shallower water and rivers, Tai Chi outperforms bait-based fishing on speed. Use both in sequence.
How many Black Bream per submission for best value? Four, totaling value 48. Officially confirmed optimal batch size. Each submission rewards Echo Jade x10 + Jade Fish x150.
Is Traces of Spring F2P-friendly? Genuinely yes. No combat gates, no premium bait requirements, no stamina walls on fishing. Worm Bait is obtainable through normal gameplay. Consistent fishing at Heaven's Pier clears core milestones without spending.
Will the spring 2026 cosmetics return? Treat them as this-window-only. The event's design structure doesn't recycle the same seasonal cosmetics into future years.
Quick-Start Checklist
Mid-event and need to move fast:
Fast travel to Heaven's Pier
Activate Tai Chi in surrounding waters
Move to deeper channels — equip Worm Bait
Gather at least 4 Black Bream
Submit to My Warehouse (batch of 4, value 48)
Collect Echo Jade x10 + Jade Fish x150
Check Spring Essence milestone progress
Repeat daily — target 2–3 submissions minimum
Prioritize limited cosmetics over consumables
Never submit fewer than 4 Black Bream per turn-in
Traces of Spring rewards consistency over intensity. Heaven's Pier is always there, Black Bream respawns reliably, and the math is simple. Get to the pier, use Tai Chi, switch to Worm Bait in deep water, submit in fours. Everything else is optimization on top of that foundation.