Genshin Impact: How does Night Kingdom work as Natlan's Ley Lines?

In Genshin Impact, the Night Kingdom serves as a mystical domain that sustains and channels the very essence of Natlan. It is known as the realm of the Wayob and the Lord of the Night, Yohualtecuhtin, who created it after Natlan’s Ley Lines were shattered in ancient wars.

This underground world serves as the resting place of the dead, where the souls of Natlan's people eventually merge into a vast sea of memories. Unlike other nations’ Ley Lines, the Night Kingdom governs both memory and resurrection. Its power fuels Natlan’s warriors and maintains the cycle of life, death, and rebirth in this land.

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The Night Kingdom's role in Genshin Impact

The Night Kingdom functions as Natlan’s Ley Lines because the nation’s original network was destroyed in a great war of vengeance and the Cataclysm. Guided by Ronova, the Shade who controls the power of death, the angel Yohualtecuhtin reconstructed a new system from fragments of the old Ley Lines. It is portrayed as an underground realm that oversees the boundary between life and death.

The main area in the Night Kingdom where all the souls are merged over time (Image via HoYoverse)

When a person from Natlan passes away, their spirit journeys into the Night Kingdom in Genshin Impact. Over time, they lose their individuality and join the Sea of Souls.

Warriors bearing Ancient Names can be revived if their allies succeed against the Abyss, thanks to the Ode of Resurrection. This power was granted when Ronova allowed the first Pyro Archon, Xbalanque, to borrow her authority over death.

The Night Kingdom also allows warriors to channel Nightsouls for combat abilities such as Nightsoul’s Blessing, Nightsoul Transmission, and Nightsoul Bursts. The realm’s bond with Natlan’s warriors demonstrates how its unique Ley Line network influences the nation’s combat power.

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Limitations of the Night Kingdom in Genshin Impact

Unlike the interconnected Ley Lines found in other regions of Teyvat, the Night Kingdom’s archive of memories operates independently. Achievements and adventures accomplished outside Natlan cannot be used in the creation of an Ancient Name. This is seen when, in Genshin Impact, Xilonen explains that the Traveler’s achievements beyond Natlan hold no value here.

This independence means the realm’s Ley Lines do not merge with outside records, and only the Lord of the Night can authorize the inclusion of events beyond Natlan. This also further suggests why Bennett faced misfortune throughout his life, as he was disconnected from the Ley Lines from birth.

Capitano in his final resting place on the Throne of Primal Fire in Natlan (Image via HoYoverse)

In most cases, the Night Kingdom does not accept souls from outsiders. Exceptions are rare and historically tied to major events, such as Capitano’s intervention after the Abyss War. His sacrifice merged his life force with the Lord of the Night, rewriting the rules so that people beyond Natlan could now enter.

This isolation also explains why the Night Kingdom plays a vital role in Natlan’s lore. Its control over who can be remembered or revived ensures that the flow of power remains unique to this nation.

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Past challenges faced by the Night Kingdom in Genshin Impact

The Night Kingdom has faced major threats since its creation. Five centuries ago, during the great Cataclysm, the Abyss broke through the Night Kingdom’s defenses. Over centuries, the Wayob fought endless battles to repel them, which weakened their energy and strained their communication with the living world.

Gosoythoth in the Night Kingdom (Image via HoYoverse)

When the Traveler eventually reached Natlan, Mavuika, the Pyro Archon, warned that the Night Kingdom might not survive another year. The Traveler entered the Night Kingdom to aid Kachina during a failed Ode of Resurrection attempt, and later ventured into its corrupted depths to confront the Abyss Tumor, Gosoythoth.

The final battle purged Abyssal influence, restoring the realm’s stability. However, due to the use of Ronova's power against the Abyss Tumor, the Shade of Death had requested a sacrifice as per the rules of using her power. Originally, Mavuika planned to sacrifice herself to restore the Ley Lines fully, but Capitano’s unexpected trade of his own life changed the realm’s fate and its laws.

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The Traveler’s Sibling and the Night Kingdom in Genshin Impact

Following the events in the Archon Quest "A Space and Time for You," the Traveler’s Sibling approached the Lord of the Night for a private meeting. To conceal their presence from Natlan’s tribes, the Order created a staged conflict as a distraction.

Inside the realm, the sibling negotiated with Yohualtecuhtin, who became interested in exploring an alternative route to temporarily reestablish Khaenri'ah's Ley Lines by overlapping the space-time.

The Traveler's sibling and the Atlas during the Archon Quest (Image via HoYoverse)

During these events, a new Ley Line structure emerged, and pieces of Khaenri’ah merged with Natlan, triggering a repeating space-time cycle. After breaking the cycle, the sibling claimed the Ley Lines on behalf of New Khaenri’ah and sealed them within an Atlas until the right moment to use them.

This event reinforced the Night Kingdom’s role as both a mystical and strategic asset, influencing the balance of power in Genshin Impact’s overarching storyline.

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Mythological connections of the Night Kingdom in Genshin Impact

In terms of real-life mythology influences, the Night Kingdom closely mirrors the Xibalba of Mayan legend, an underworld presided over by deities of death. In Mesoamerican traditions, caves and sinkholes served as gateways to this realm, mirroring how the Night Kingdom is reached through underground passages.

Celestial Nail observed in the Night Kingdom's sky (Image via HoYoverse)

The presence of Celestial Nails within the Night Kingdom also hints at a connection to the Heavenly Principles and their divine interventions. These structures appear in significant quest moments, suggesting that the Night Kingdom is as much a product of human myth as it is of divine engineering.

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The Night Kingdom in Genshin Impact is more than just a symbolic underworld. It is the lifeblood of Natlan, replacing the fractured Ley Lines and sustaining the nation’s unique cycle of death and rebirth. By safeguarding the spiritual energy, history, and will of its people, the Night Kingdom plays a central role in preserving Natlan’s character and endurance.

As Natlan’s storyline comes to an end, the Night Kingdom will likely remain relevant due to Capitano's state and possible Khaenri'ah-related chapters in future Genshin Impact updates.