The Complete Guide to Ascending and Maximizing Zhongli in Genshin Impact

As the esteemed Geo Archon and former ruler of Liyue, Zhongli stands as one of the most formidable and sought-after 5-star characters in the world of Teyvat. His power, both in lore and in gameplay, is as unyielding as the bedrock he commands. For players fortunate enough to have welcomed this polearm-wielding deity to their roster, the journey to unlock his true potential is a significant undertaking, requiring a meticulous gathering of specific resources and a substantial investment of Mora. With the recent developments in the game's expansive world, including the introduction of the Fontaine region, ensuring you have the latest information is crucial for efficient preparation. This guide provides a comprehensive roadmap to fully ascending Zhongli and maximizing his talents, transforming him from a revered historical figure into the cornerstone of any team composition.

🪨 Zhongli's Ascension Materials: Building a God

To raise the Geo Archon to his maximum level of 90, travelers must collect a series of materials that reflect his elemental nature and divine status. The process is a structured climb, with each ascension phase demanding greater resources. The total Mora cost for ascension alone is a staggering 420,000, a sum that would make even the most prosperous merchant in Liyue Harbor pause. The required materials are as follows:

Beyond these ascension materials, leveling Zhongli from 1 to 90 requires a monumental 8,362,650 Character EXP. An efficient way to achieve this is through a combination of experience items:

• 12x Wanderer's Advice

• 15x Adventurer's Experience

• 414x Hero's Wit

This leveling process carries an additional Mora cost of approximately 1,673,400.

🎭 Mastering the Archon's Talents

Zhongli's combat prowess is defined by his talents: his Normal Attack, Rain of Stone, his Elemental Skill, Dominus Lapidis, and his game-changing Elemental Burst, Planet Befall. Leveling a single talent to its maximum level (10) is a commitment akin to inscribing a new chapter into the ancient stone tablets of Liyue. The material requirements are detailed below:

Crucial Note: To crown a talent at level 10, a precious Crown of Insight is required. Therefore, to fully maximize all three of Zhongli's talents, players will need to secure three Crowns of Insight, the rarest of these resources.

🗺️ Material Farming Guide: A Traveler's Atlas

Prithiva Topaz Ascension Gems

As the embodiment of Geo, Zhongli requires Prithiva Topaz for his ascension. These crystals, ranging from Slivers to Gemstones, are primarily obtained by challenging specific World Bosses. Defeating the following bosses is like cracking open the planet's own geological archives:

• Geo Hypostasis (Guyun Stone Forest, Liyue)

• Golden Wolflord (Tsurumi Island, Inazuma)

• Primo Geovishap (Tianqiu Valley, Liyue)

• Perpetual Mechanical Array (Tatarasuna, Inazuma)

• Ruin Serpent (The Chasm: Underground Mines)

Weekly Bosses like Azhdaha and Andrius also have a chance to drop these materials, and they can occasionally be rewarded from Daily Commissions or processed through the Parametric Transformer.

Cor Lapis: The Golden Heart of Liyue

This vibrant orange mineral is scattered across the cliffs and mountainous regions of Liyue like forgotten drops of celestial amber. Prime farming locations include:

• Mt. Hulao (Extremely high concentration)

• Cuijue Slope

• The surrounding paths of Qingce Village

For those who prefer commerce over exploration, the merchant Changshun in Liyue Harbor sells 5 Cor Lapis every three days.

Slime Condensate, Secretions & Concentrate

These common enemy drops are as ubiquitous throughout Teyvat as whispers of the wind. Slimes inhabit nearly every region. Using the Adventurer Handbook's Enemy tracking feature is the most efficient way to locate clusters, though simply exploring will yield more than enough over time.

Basalt Pillar

This specific boss material is obtained exclusively from the Geo Hypostasis, located in the Guyun Stone Forest. This boss fight is a test of patience and Geo application, as the core is protected by Geo constructs. Bringing a character capable of quickly destroying these constructs—such as Zhongli himself, Arataki Itto, Albedo, or Noelle—is highly recommended. Each victory is like chiseling a piece of the immovable earth itself.

Talent Books: Teachings/Guides/Philosophies of Gold

These scrolls of wisdom are awarded by the Taishan Mansion Domain in Liyue. The domain for "Gold" talent books is available on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Each challenge completion costs 20 Original Resin to claim rewards.

Tusk of Monoceros Caeli

This weekly boss material is a drop from Childe (Tartaglia) in the Golden House domain. If RNG is not in your favor, players can use Dream Solvent at an alchemy table to convert a Shard of Foul Legacy or Shadow of the Warrior (other possible drops from Childe) into the needed Tusk. Confronting Childe for these materials is a duel as precise and perilous as navigating a labyrinth of celestial clockwork.

Crown of Insight

The ultimate symbol of mastery, Crowns of Insight are primarily obtainable as rewards from limited-time seasonal events. A few can also be earned permanently by making offerings to sacred trees across Teyvat:

• Frostbearing Tree (Dragonspine)

• Sacred Sakura (Inazuma)

• Lumenstone Adjuvant (The Chasm)

• Tree of Dreams (Sumeru)

💎 Final Thoughts

The path to maximizing the Geo Archon, Zhongli, is a long-term endeavor that requires strategic planning across multiple regions of Teyvat. From mining the sun-kissed Cor Lapis of Liyue's peaks to battling the elemental cubes and harbingers that guard precious materials, the process is a journey in itself. The total resource investment is immense, but the reward is a character whose shields are as impervious as a mountain's core and whose burst can petrify the battlefield like a sudden plunge into a lake of liquid stone. For any player seeking an unbreakable defense and commanding crowd control, dedicating time and resin to build Zhongli is an investment that will pay dividends throughout all future adventures in Teyvat and beyond.

This assessment draws from Game Developer (Gamasutra) to contextualize why Zhongli’s “resource marathon” (boss drops, regional specialties, weekly mats, and Mora sinks) is a deliberate progression design that nudges players to explore multiple loops—world bosses for Basalt Pillars and Prithiva Topaz, open-world routes for Cor Lapis, and weekly encounters like Childe for high-tier talent gates—ultimately turning a single character build into a structured tour through the game’s interconnected systems.