Chasing Saber： A Digital Self-Cultivation Marathon

Chasing Saber in the Star Rail
Recently, I’ve become obsessed with a new game, Genshin Impact: Star Rail. In this futuristic, cosmic masterpiece, the character Saber is about to make her debut, and her arrival feels like a meticulously designed puzzle waiting to be unlocked, explored, and solved by collecting various materials. It’s reminiscent of when I was a kid collecting Naruto trading cards, except now the materials are far more complex than just cards.
First, let me break down Saber’s cultivation materials. These include her breakthrough materials, trace materials, and exclusive Light Cone materials. To max her out, you’ll need the following: Instinct of Plunder, Ambition of Forgery, Will of Treading, A Drunken Era in a Cup, Fang of Parting, Toxic Wolf’s Sawtooth, Lunar Frenzy Fang, Doomsday of the Destroyer, Footprints of Destiny, Records of Adventure, Travel Notes, and Travel Guide, along with a hefty amount of Credits. The names of these materials sound like the secret menu of some underground bar, each oozing with mystery.
Saber’s exclusive Light Cone is called “Coronation Without Return”, a name that reminds me of the pointless efforts we often make in real life. To upgrade it to level 80, you’ll need 20 Instinct of Plunder, 20 Ambition of Forgery, 14 Will of Treading, 4 Fang of Parting, 12 Toxic Wolf’s Sawtooth, 15 Lunar Frenzy Fang, and 385,000 Credits. It sounds like you’re assembling the ultimate weapon from a sci-fi movie.
As for breakthrough materials, you’ll need 15 Instinct of Plunder, 15 Ambition of Forgery, 15 Will of Treading, and 65 A Drunken Era in a Cup, plus 308,000 Credits. Each level requires different materials. For example, reaching level 20 requires 5 Instinct of Plunder and 4,000 Credits, while level 30 demands 10 Instinct of Plunder and 8,000 Credits. Level 40, however, requires 3 A Drunken Era in a Cup, 6 Ambition of Forgery, and 16,000 Credits. The incremental difficulty feels like climbing an endless tower.
Trace materials are the most extensive. You’ll need 41 Instinct of Plunder, 56 Ambition of Forgery, 58 Will of Treading, 18 Fang of Parting, 69 Toxic Wolf’s Sawtooth, 139 Lunar Frenzy Fang, 12 Doomsday of the Destroyer, 8 Footprints of Destiny, and 3,000,000 Credits. These can be obtained through in-game dungeons or synthesis. For instance, Fang of Parting, Toxic Wolf’s Sawtooth, and Lunar Frenzy Fang can be farmed in the “Scale Abyss” dungeon or synthesized using the Universal Synthesis Device. Doomsday of the Destroyer, however, requires defeating the boss “Exterminating Star Beast” in the “Support Section” dungeon. The process is like solving a complex puzzle, requiring strategy and patience at every step.
Collecting these materials feels like embarking on an adventure within the game. You need to plan every move, allocate resources wisely, and race against time to meet your goals. Sometimes, you’ll find yourself farming dungeons late into the night, prompting your wife to ask, “Are you trying to turn yourself into a robot?” You’ll just laugh and say, “It’s my digital meditation.”
Throughout this journey, you’ll notice yourself becoming a perfectionist, much like a stamp collector obsessed with completing their collection. For that one missing stamp, they’d spare no effort. Similarly, for Saber, you’ll find yourself willing to go to great lengths for just one more Lunar Frenzy Fang or Toxic Wolf’s Sawtooth. It’s a strange kind of fulfillment, but it’s yours nonetheless.