The Azmin Steppe (X:34.6, Y:24.6) The Lochs (X:13.0, Y:27.1) Valley of the Fallen Rainbow in Yanxia (X:29.4, Y:8.5)
Yanxian soil is considered a collectable item in FFXIV. So to find it you must first complete the level 50 quest “Inscrutable Tastes” from Morgayne in the Foundation (X:10.1, Y:10.4). Additionally, items from ephemeral nodes are used for aethereal reduction. So to access this feature you’ll need to do the level 56 quest “No Longer a Collectable” from Lydirlona in Mor Dhona (X:22.3, Y:6.8).
Harvesting Ephemeral Nodes
Ephemeral gathering points are similar to unspoiled ones, in that they only pop up during certain times of the day. But there are a couple of differences that set these two types of nodes apart.
Instead of waiting for the next time the node spawns after collecting items, ephemeral points will respawn right away at a nearby location, and will keep doing so for a fixed period of time. Items gathered from ephemeral nodes are all collectables, so you would harvest them the same way you would other collectable items.
Ephemeral mining nodes for Yanxian soil spawn at different times depending on the area you’re in. These gathering points will respawn for about 4 hours in-game time. After that, you’ll need to either wait for the next spawn window or move to one of the other areas.
Aetherial Reduction
We mentioned that items gathered from ephemeral nodes are used for aetherial reduction – so you might be asking, “what exactly is that?” You learn the action “Aetherial Reduction” after completing the quest “No Longer a Collectable.” The in-game description for this action reads as follows: You may notice that this description is very close to the one for the Desynthesis action – and that’s because they’re essentially the same thing. The difference between these two is that desynthesis is used by crafting jobs, while aetherial reduction is used by gathering jobs. And the results from aetherial reduction are simpler than those from desynthesis. Reason being that aetherial reduction will always produce crystals, clusters, and a chance at obtaining a rare crafting material called “aethersand.” There are several different types of aethersand & the type you get will depend on the item being broken down. Also, since the items broken down with aetherial reduction are all collectables, collectability rating does play a role when using this action. The higher an item’s collectability rating, the higher its chance of yielding aethersand.
Yanxian Soil’s Aethersand & Their Uses
So far, the only use Yanxian soil has is for it to be broken down for its components. The aethersand it produces is called Duskglow Aethersand, and it’s used in several level 70 alchemist master recipes. Here’s a list of the items alchemists can make with Duskglow Aethersand:
Grade 3 Infusion of Dexterity Grade 3 Infusion of Intelligence Grade 3 Infusion of Mind Grade 3 Infusion of Strength Grade 3 Infusion of Vitality Grade 4 Reisui of Dexterity Grade 4 Reisui of Mind Grade 4 Reisui of Strength Grade 4 Reisui of Vitality Hawk’s Eye Sand Veteran Tree Sap
The infusion items are consumables that are used to boost certain stats of players, while the others are ingredients in crafting recipes for other items. For example, veteran tree sap is used in making the Yamashi gear set for Disciples of the Land.
