How I Maxed Jing Yuan in 2026: Materials, Tips, and Mistakes to Avoid

I still remember pulling Jing Yuan back in version 1.0, when everyone was debating whether the sleepy general was worth the Stellar Jade. Flash forward to 2026, and he's still one of my favorite Erudition characters, especially after the recent Equilibrium level cap increase. A lot of newer Trailblazers ask me if building a five-star DPS from the early days is still worth it. Well, let me walk you through everything I learned about ascending Jing Yuan, because trust me, it’s a journey—but one that pays off big time with proper planning.

You see, ascension for a five-star unit like Jing Yuan is not just about dumping EXP books. Your materials need to be dead-on, or you’ll find yourself grinding for weeks. Let’s start with the basics. The first thing I always tell people is to hoard Immortal Scionette and its upgrades—Aeroblossom and Lumintwig. These drop from Mara-Struck soldiers all over The Xianzhou Luofu. If you’re past Trailblaze Level 60, those little revive-able soldiers will be your best friends. Don’t skip daily mob clears! It sounds tedious, but I saved around 80 Trailblaze Power per day by just sweeping through Cloudford and Stargazer Navalia with Jing Yuan on the team. Free EXP adds up fast, especially when you’re also grabbing those sweet material drops.

Here’s my exact ascension material checklist from my notes, adjusted for 2026’s economic pinch on Credits. You’ll need:

You might look at that and think, “That’s a lot of Lightning Staff.” And you’d be right. That brings me to the Shape of Doom Stagnant Shadow in Stargazer Navalia. It’s the only place to get Shape Shifter’s Lightning Staff, and it has been since launch. Now, in 2026 you can auto-battle it if your team is stacked, but if you’re still building up your account, you’ll want a few tricks. The fight pits you against a Disciple of Sanctus Medicus and his goons. The Disciple heals himself—infuriating, I know. My go-to strategy? Bring an AoE-heavy team. Let the Disciple summon two extra soldiers, then kill one and leave the other alive. That prevents new summons for a few turns, giving you a clear window to burst the boss down. Ice, Wind, and Imaginary characters work wonders here because at least two enemies share those weaknesses.

Now, even before you max out his ascension, you need to think about Traces. Jing Yuan’s Lightning-Lord hits like a freight train, but only if you level his Skill, Ultimate, and Talent. Don’t get sidetracked by his Basic Attack early on—leave it at level 4 or 5 unless you’re overflowing with materials. The real bottleneck comes from the Key of Inspiration, Knowledge, and Wisdom. I can’t stress enough how many people waste time farming these from other sources. Just go to the Crimson Calyx in Rivet Town. Yes, the enemy lineup randomizes each run, but you’ll consistently face Imaginary Weaver, Everwinter Shadewalker, and Frostspawn. Even with the randomness, it’s more efficient than synthesizing keys from lower-rarity materials. Two lower materials for one higher one costs Trailblaze Power that you’ll miss later.

By 2026 standards, Jing Yuan’s Trace priority hasn’t changed much, but what has changed is the abundance of fuel and self-modeling resin we get from events. If I were starting fresh today, I’d save all my fuels for double-drop events that happen every other patch. Even better, the recent Relic Scoring update makes it easier to know which cavern pieces are worth keeping for him. Lightning set or the mixed build with 2-piece Salsotto? My advice: go for the lightning damage set if you can hit the speed breakpoint of 134, otherwise the mixed build is more forgiving.

A quick word on credits—you’ll blow through millions. Golden Calyxes are your fallback, but I often use the daily assignment and Simulated Universe runs to keep my wallet padded. Don’t be like me and forget that leveling a five-star light cone alongside him will drain your reserves even faster.

One more tip from a veteran: after you’ve ascended Jing Yuan completely, revisit the Mara-Struck zones for friendship XP. It’s a small bonus, but every little bit helps when you’re trying to max out companion achievements.

So is Jing Yuan worth it in 2026? Absolutely. With the right materials and a little patience, his follow-up attacks clear Memory of Chaos stages faster than many newer characters. Just keep this guide handy, and you’ll breeze through those ascension walls.