Version 1.3 Preview — Canhong and Lingke, the Curse–Anima Duo

Version 1.2 is barely a week old — it launched July 16 with the Steam release, Shinku, and Iroi — and the conversation has already moved to what comes next. For once, the rumor mill has less to do than usual: both of v1.3’s headliners have been officially revealed with key art. Here is what is actually confirmed versus what is still noise.

The two S-Ranks

Canhong (残虹) headlines Phase 1. She is an S-Rank Incantation damage dealer who fights with a tachi (long sword), positioned as a main DPS. This is official — the key art is out and her Incantation affiliation is confirmed. Incantation has been waiting for a true flagship damage dealer; Baicang fills the role but sits in the A-Rank economy tier, so a top-table Incantation carry is a genuine gap in the roster.

Lingke (灵可) headlines Phase 2. She is an S-Rank Anima unit built around a companion-type (“伴身型”) kit — a support/sub-DPS who fights alongside a summoned partner. Also officially revealed via key art. Anima already has strong damage options in Nanally and Jiuyuan, so Lingke looks like the element’s first dedicated high-rarity enabler.

Note on names: these are the Chinese-server names rendered in pinyin. The global server’s final localized names may differ at release — we will update this page when they are confirmed.

Why the pairing matters: Curse–Anima reactions

The two are not random. Community theorycrafting flags them as the foundation of a Curse–Anima reaction archetype (the Chinese community calls it the “覆纹” system — an overlay/stain reaction between Incantation and Anima). If that holds, v1.3 is not just two strong units but the opening of a new team axis, the way Chaos and Lakshana defined the v1.1 meta.

That is the exciting read, and it is also the part to take with caution: the reaction’s exact mechanics have not been detailed in the official reveals yet. Expect the picture to firm up at the v1.3 preview livestream.

When is v1.3?

No official date has been announced. The best available estimate comes from the patch cadence: v1.2’s phases run roughly three weeks each from the July 16 launch, which points to around August 19, 2026 for v1.3. That figure is a community estimate based on the schedule, not an official announcement — treat it as a working date, not a promise.

The rumor pile: what to ignore

A few claims are circulating that you should not bank currency on:

Banner order drama. Some self-media posts claim Canhong was “delayed” or that the phase order shifted. These posts contradict each other and none are confirmed. The official reveals say Phase 1 Canhong, Phase 2 Lingke — trust that until told otherwise.
Signature weapons and skins. An Iroi signature Arc and a Shinku swimsuit skin have been “leaked” in the same rumor posts. Single-source, unconfirmed, classic engagement bait.
Freebie giveaways. Claims of a server-wide ten-pull gift and preview-livestream redeem codes float around every patch. They often turn out partly true, but never pre-spend based on them.

Should you save?

If you are free-to-play and finished v1.2 pulling, the honest answer is yes — two S-Ranks in one patch, one of them opening a brand-new element archetype, is exactly the scenario you hoard for. The safe play is to decide between Canhong and Lingke once the preview livestream shows actual kits and numbers, rather than committing to both now. We will have full pull advice up the day the kits drop.

For where the meta stands right now, see the v1.2 summary and the current strongest team compositions.