Yukong, the head of the Sky-Faring Commission on The Xianzhou Luofu, is a woman who can silence a room with a raised eyebrow. She's stern, she's dignified, and she's secretly a softie—just ask Tingyun, who insists that Yukong knows exactly when to be strict and when to be kind. In Honkai: Star Rail, she's a four-star Imaginary character who made her playable debut in Version 1.1, and even in 2026, she remains a solid support for many teams. But if you want to unlock her full potential, you'll need to shower her with a frankly ridiculous amount of materials. So grab your wallet—er, your Trailblaze Power—and let's dive into the grind.

yukong-s-material-grind-a-2026-guide-to-ascending-the-sky-faring-boss-image-0

Ascension Materials: The Artifex Addiction

Like every character in Honkai: Star Rail, Yukong can be ascended six times, but only after you reach the required Equilibrium level. To max her out, you'll need to hit Equilibrium level 5, which unlocks at Trailblaze Level 60. Here's the full shopping list:

Ascension Required Level Mob Drops Stagnant Shadow Drops Credits
1 20 4x Artifex's Module - 3,200
2 30 8x Artifex's Module - 6,400
3 40 5x Artifex's Cogwheel 2x Golden Crown of the Past Shadow 12,800
4 50 8x Artifex's Cogwheel 5x Golden Crown of the Past Shadow 32,000
5 60 5x Artifex's Gyreheart 15x Golden Crown of the Past Shadow 64,000
6 70 7x Artifex's Gyreheart 28x Golden Crown of the Past Shadow 128,000
Total - 12x Module, 13x Cogwheel, 12x Gyreheart 50x Golden Crown 246,400

The Artifex drops come from enemies scattered across The Xianzhou Luofu, so you can farm them while doing your daily chores. The Golden Crown of the Past Shadow is a Stagnant Shadow drop from the Backwater Pass area of Jarilo-VI. And those Credits? You can get them from Calyxes, overworld mobs, events, Simulated Universe, or the Embers Exchange shop. Pro tip: spend a couple of hours a day farming overworld enemies—this also gives you character EXP, which can push Yukong from level 70 to 80 without burning EXP materials. That saves you hundreds of Trailblaze Power, which is a big deal if you're just starting out.

yukong-s-material-grind-a-2026-guide-to-ascending-the-sky-faring-boss-image-1

Trace Materials: Where the Real Grind Begins

Every character has four upgradable traces: Basic Attack, Skill, Talent, and Ultimate. Yukong's Basic Attack can be upgraded six times, while the other three can go up to ten. The materials differ, so let's break it down.

Basic Attack Trace Materials

Level Crimson Calyx Materials Mob Drops Credits
2 2x Harmonic Tune 4x Artifex's Module 4,000
3 2x Ancestral Hymn 2x Artifex's Cogwheel 8,000
4 4x Ancestral Hymn 3x Artifex's Cogwheel 16,000
5 2x Stellaris Symphony 2x Artifex's Gyreheart 36,000
6 6x Stellaris Symphony 3x Artifex's Gyreheart 128,000
Total 2x Tune, 6x Hymn, 8x Symphony 4x Module, 5x Cogwheel, 5x Gyreheart 192,000

Skill, Ultimate, and Talent Trace Materials

Level Crimson Calyx Drops Mob Drops Cocolia Drops Tracks of Destiny Credits
2 - 2x Artifex's Module - - 2,000
3 2x Harmonic Tune 4x Artifex's Module - - 4,000
4 2x Ancestral Hymn 2x Artifex's Cogwheel - - 8,000
5 4x Ancestral Hymn 3x Artifex's Cogwheel - - 16,000
6 6x Ancestral Hymn 5x Artifex's Cogwheel - - 24,000
7 2x Stellaris Symphony 2x Artifex's Gyreheart - - 36,000
8 4x Stellaris Symphony 3x Artifex's Gyreheart 1x Destroyer's Final Road - 64,000
9 6x Stellaris Symphony - 1x Destroyer's Final Road - 128,000
10 11x Stellaris Symphony - 1x Destroyer's Final Road 1 240,000
Total 2x Tune, 12x Hymn, 23x Symphony 6x Module, 10x Cogwheel, 5x Gyreheart 3x Destroyer's Final Road 1x Tracks of Destiny 522,000 Credits

That's a lot of Crimson Calyx runs. The good news? You don't need to push Skill, Ultimate, and Talent above level eight unless you're swimming in extra resources. The higher-level nodes also require Tracks of Destiny, which you can earn from the Simulated Universe weekly, limited-time events, and the Embers Exchange shop. Destroyer's Final Road comes from the Doomsday Beast Echo of War in Herta Space Station—so prepare for a beatdown.

yukong-s-material-grind-a-2026-guide-to-ascending-the-sky-faring-boss-image-2

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

In 2026, Honkai: Star Rail has a sprawling roster, but Yukong still carves out a niche as an Imaginary support who can buff your team's attack and imaginary damage. She's not the flashiest character, but she's reliable—like a stern aunt who secretly slips you extra candy. The material grind is real, but with a bit of daily farming and smart use of your Trailblaze Power, you'll have her fully ascended before you can say "Sky-Faring Commission." Just don't forget to budget your Credits—Yukong doesn't accept IOUs. 💰