I'll level with you—back when Xueyi first showed up in Honkai Star Rail 1.6, I wasn't sure what to make of her. A 4-star Destruction character tossing around Quantum damage with single-target attacks, Blast, Bounce, and Follow-ups? That sounded like a lot of moving parts. But after spending some quality time with her kit, I've come around to the idea that she's a fantastic sub DPS if you set her up right. Now that we're in 2026 and a lot of newer players are rediscovering old characters, I figured I'd dust off my notes and break down the Light Cones that made her shine back in the day—and still hold up reasonably well if you're building her now.

First, a quick refresher. Xueyi is one of the judges in the Ten Lords Commission, handling Detention duty. In gameplay terms, she's a Quantum unit on the Path of Destruction, and she leans heavily into a Sub DPS role. Her kit is versatile: she can deal single-target damage, hit enemies with Blast, bounce attacks around, and trigger Follow-up attacks. She's not a one-size-fits-all carry, but when you pair her with the right Light Cone, her damage output goes from meh to now we're talking.

Now, the tricky part: as a 4-star character, Xueyi doesn't have her own dedicated signature Light Cone. That means you have to borrow from the existing pool, and some are definitely better fits than others. I'll go through the ones that caught my eye in version 1.6.

The Unreachable Side

This one is a bit of a beast. It boosts the wearer's CRIT Rate and Max HP by 18% right off the bat. The real kicker is the damage boost: after the wearer is attacked or consumes their own HP, their DMG increases by 24%. That effect gets dispelled after the user uses an attack, so you need to be mindful of timing. In my experience, this Light Cone feels tailor-made for Xueyi if you enjoy a more aggressive, get in there and take a few licks playstyle. The extra Max HP also gives her a touch more survivability, which never hurts for a Destruction unit.

Nowhere to Run

If you want a straightforward ATK bump, this is a solid choice. It increases the wearer's ATK by 24%, which is nice but not flashy. The healing mechanic is where it gets interesting: whenever the wearer defeats an enemy, they restore HP equal to 12% of their ATK. For a sub DPS like Xueyi, who often chips away at adds, this can add a nice layer of sustain. However, I wouldn't call it a game-changer—it's more of a good enough if you're on a budget option.

Something Irreplaceable

Now we're talking about a Light Cone with some real teeth. It boosts ATK by 24%, and when the wearer defeats an enemy or gets hit, it immediately restores HP equal to 8% of the wearer's ATK. On top of that, the wearer's DMG increases by 24% until the end of their next turn. This is a fantastic all-rounder for Xueyi. The heal triggers are consistent, and the damage buff lingers just long enough to sync up with her follow-up windows. Honestly, this is one of my personal favorites—it's like a Swiss Army knife that keeps giving.

On the Fall of an Aeon

This is the one the community won't stop talking about, and for good reason. Each attack increases the wearer's ATK by 8%, stacking up to 4 times. That alone is great for Xueyi's multi-hit kit. Then, when she inflicts Weakness Break, her DMG jumps by 12% for 2 turns. The stacking mechanic rewards her frequent attacks, and if you can consistently trigger Weakness Break, the damage snowballs quickly. Some players on forums specifically praised this Light Cone for its synergy with Xueyi's playstyle, especially in scenarios where Weakness Break is a regular occurrence. The main caveat is that you need to build enough ATK% to compensate for any base stat differences, but that's manageable with the right relics.

To make this easier, here's a quick comparison table:

Light Cone	Key Effects	Best For
The Unreachable Side	CRIT Rate +18%, Max HP +18%, DMG +24% after being attacked or consuming HP	Aggressive, tanky playstyle
Nowhere to Run	ATK +24%, heal 12% ATK on defeat	Budget-friendly sustain
Something Irreplaceable	ATK +24%, heal 8% ATK on defeat/hit, DMG +24% until next turn	All-round consistency
On the Fall of an Aeon	ATK +8% per attack (max 4 stacks), DMG +12% after Weakness Break	Weakness Break-focused builds

From what I remember of the community discussions back in 1.6, the two names that kept popping up were Fall of an Aeon and The Unreachable Side. Players highlighted Fall of an Aeon for its raw scaling and weakness break synergy, while The Unreachable Side earned praise for its well-rounded benefits—more CRIT Rate, more Max HP, and a hefty damage boost after taking a hit. The choice often came down to playstyle and team composition. If you prefer a more defensive or crit-focused setup, The Unreachable Side is your huckleberry. If you're all about stacking attack and breaking weaknesses, Fall of an Aeon is hard to beat.

At the end of the day, the best Light Cone for Xueyi isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on how you like to run her, what teammates you bring, and what resources you have lying around. My advice? If you've got On the Fall of an Aeon gathering dust, give it a spin—it's a real party trick. But don't sleep on The Unreachable Side either, especially if you want a bit more crit consistency. Whatever you choose, Xueyi can absolutely pull her weight. Now, in 2026, some newer Light Cones have entered the scene, but these four from the early days still make for a solid foundation if you're revisiting her. Just remember: the meta shifts, but a well-built Quantum sub DPS never goes out of style.

Let me know your own experiences—did you rock Fall of an Aeon or go a different route? I'm all ears.