1.

Yaoji (Girl In Red)

Starting Location:
Mount Wanzi
Companion Quest:
After Mingjian: Call her by her name +10
After Xungu Pass Battle: Look for her after the treating the general. +20

After the Mount Windless Battle (PART 18) - DO NOT REST.

Thanks to @Kalion
(Confirmed) IMMEDIATELY after the Battle of Mount Windless, visit the Xuanhuo Cult HQ. +10

Leaving Wudang Sect, In the Cave of Tribulation, after Mount Windless... +20

 Ask Why and listen to the guy's request

 Agree to help him...

 fight the 2 mini bosses in the back, collect the key item.

 You'll be forced to give up the key item regardless, so after the cut-scene...

 When you're near the entrance, turn around and go straight to the back of the cave and into the inner
cave on the right you couldn't enter earlier.

 Watch the cut scene

 Fight the 2 mini bosses again.
 I found this part to be a bit buggy... it didn't trigger and I had to reload the game a few times.

Observation:
Very easy to miss her events... and thus miss her ending.

3. Ouyang Xue - Childhood friend(?)

Starting Location:
Mingjian Manor
Companion Quest:
Mingjian Manor: Call her performance "Depressing" +10.
Gusu Night Festival: Do All the festival Activities +20

 Festival Lantern Vendor Answers +10

 Light, Snow, Stars, Candle
 Pay 800 gold to eat the dumplings
 The 3 Performers
 - Eat 3, Eat 3 vs. Gluttonous Tiger
 - Admit Defeat vs. Iron Ape
 - Win the fight vs. Flying Fish
 Listen to the storyteller
 Pay 1000 gold to poor scholar for the dance

After the whole Main Quest of dealing with the Wu Dang traitor... and while "Become Martial Disciple" is
active, pay another visit to Mingjian Manor to see Ouyang Xue; as you get near her resident, her maids will tell
you about cheering her up.

- Go look for the score obviously. +20

The above guide is a clarification from one of the comments

Thanks to @discount
During Lantern Festival (Sword Tournament at Mingjian) speak to all the vendors (riddles, they're very easy, I
can't remember them, and the 3 performers: eat 1 bowl then eat more, admit defeat to weight lifter, win 1v1)
- After the fight at Mount Windless (complete pill quest for Daopillman in Wudang), visit Mingjian,
Don't visit Xue, Speak to one of the Handmaidens
Go and find the music she wanted (she gets a really strong red ultimate).

Observation:
Default main heroine unless you actively avoid her and max the other heroine's affections.

4. Jiang XiaoTong - Little Sister / Pure type

Starting Location:
Wutong Village, she eventually returns to join you automatically literally for only about 2 story parts.

Companion Quest:
- After Mount Wanzi: Grab her wooden sword back in the starting house before you meet her again.
- Before visiting Mingjian Manor, during the visit to Wutong Village, after talking to the chief (who tells you
Xiaotong went west) but BEFORE progressing and unlocking access to the north above Xungu Pass.

 Go to the Solitude Marsh Pier East, look for the poisoned fellow and "Don't Save him" +20

- During the Gathering of Heroes: Persuade/Talk to her +10

So I finally found and read on some Chinese website on how to return the wooden sword to Xiaotong to reach
100... But the site is loaded with pop-ups and adware, so I won't be linking it directly here because it would
likely violate Steam's linking rules.
For the curious, it is from gamersky . com
That being said, I do need to replay the game from mid-point and confirm this)... sigh

 Yaoji's affection must be > Ouyang Xue's affection. (I am guessing the player has to proactively
avoid Ouyang Xue and avoid the "perfect" ending).
 Visit Wutong Village before going to Mount Tianshan and look for Xiaotong.
  Return the wooden sword +20.

Observation:
Practically an afterthought in the main story until the last 2 chapters/hours of the game.

13. Frosty Condor - Icy Hot

Starting Location:
You can actually meet her during the Mingjian Festival.
After the fights finish, go right and head south.

Return her jade to gain affection +10

Recruiting Condition:
Can only be recruited after you unlock the area west of Fancheng part of the main story line.
The quest chain can only start after you hear a rumor about horse thieves in the western region in Wudang Sect.

1. When Become Discipline Disciple is active, check for rumors about raiders in the western villages by
going near the student by the path exiting the student dorm area.
2. Now go to Sweetspring Village and start fighting.
3. After the fighting is done, talk to everyone BEFORE talking to the village elder.
- Xiao'e will ask you to check on Mr. Pei.
- Mr. Pei's affection +20, spar with him for a rare material.
4. Requesting help starts
5. Tianshui / Chengjia Fortress
- Fat man refuses to help, now you gotta look for things in the city
- Head to the front yard of the inn, after the dialog, go near the dirt mound to pick up a packet.
- Complete the mini-quest chain here, something about aphrodisiac and horses /shrug and move on.
6. Pingyang Castle
- Guy owes you a favor if you followed the instructions previously with Lu Xianer's companion quest.
7. Canglan Village
- Guy (Yang Liutu) agrees unconditionally (I find him sus to begin with...)
8. Condor School
- If Frosty Condor's affection is 20, there shouldn't be an issue aside from crimson condor picking a fight
with you.
9. Badlands Stronghold Scouting
- Talk to everyone at least once before proceeding with Frosty Condor.
 10. Stop by Bitterwater Village
- Kong Liang mentions traces of bandits
- Leng Wuqing comments on recent events and his view.
11. Badlands Stronghold
- Proceed as normal, DO NOT return the sweetspring right away.
12. Go to Bitterwater Village again, watch the cut-scene and leave
13. Go to Canglan Village, head to the top of the map and help Di Zui.
14. Go to Tianshui City, head up the inner wall to find Di Zui
15. Help Di Zui get rid of Chengjia Fortress.
16. Now return to Sweetsprings village, talk to Ouyang Hai then frosty condor
17. DO NOT go to skyline mont, look for Wan Biao and the prisoners
18. Go to Mount Autumnscape, far left end of the zone to save the prisoner.
19. Now go to Skyline Mont
- Before taking a break, talk to Di Zui and learn about a few more things
- Leng Wuqing, Yan Weihuan, Li Yuanxing will leave the party to flank the enemies.
- After the fight is over, head down to bitterwater village.
- After yet another fight, talk to Di Zui before leaving.
20. Approaching Battle ends, revisit the following places for conclusion and rewards
- Sweetsprings Village
- Pingyang Fortress
- Condor Sect / gotta fight old man Yin
- Chengjia Fortrees (if you didn't let Cheng Yu stay at Wudang).

Companion Quest:
Literally complete the recruiting condition from what I can tell.

Observation:
Her attitude change is very much like an Icy Hot patch (ice that pain and relax warmly). By the time she finally
joins you, her sect master pretty much marries sends her off along with the sect's secret techniques as the dowry.
Edit: With the more recent update, she is now capable of using fists -OR- hidden weapon. Her fist skills are
maxed but you'll have to figure out her meridians.
If you have good fist techniques, she is probably worth a look, but you're also near the end of the game... so
YMMV.
Probably has the hottest character art, but you can only recruit her quite late in the game... but she does start
with all of her skills maxed.

15. Yia Vang The Scorpion Envoy

Starting Location:
Monkey Woods Cave after fighting the gold scorpion, at the very northwest end of the zone.
Recruiting Condition:
Follow the official instructions; for best experience, you should recruit her before you head to the Western
Regions.
In case it wasn't obvious, having all 12 companions you can get up until this point in your party will give you
the best experience.

MAKE SURE BAI JIN, YE FEI, AND LENG WUQING ARE POWERED UP WITH DECENT
EQUIPMENT

The Scorpion Envoy

At Pier Marsh
 Help the Bureau Guards, pick up the token (Zhao An +5).

At Pili Sect
1. Talk to Yia Vang, her affection should be 30-35.
2. Show your token to Yia Vang +5
 3. Now head down south from the guests area, the Buearu Guards have their own residents.
4. Be polite, introduce yourself Zhao An +10.
- From Thanks to @Zero Excluse Force your way through -10 than +30 (+20 total).
- Zhao An can reach up to 50 affinity during the Pili School event.
5. get the item from Yia Vang, talk to Lian Xin and have him present the item +5
6. Refuse his gift offer and uphold your bargain (Zhao An +5 or +10)
- I have no idea how much of a factor Zhao An's affection is.
7. return your newly found information to Yia Vang (40 now)
8. Start your investigation of the Turmoil
9. Talk to everyone and investigate the crates multiple times.
- Check the schedule by opening it in the inventory.
- After 3 or 4 checks of the boxes, you'll find an item (Damaged Pellets).
- If you have Li Yuanxing and Yan Weihuan, you will get more info
- Contact Leng Wuqing, Ye Fei is needed here.
10. Return to Sanhe and inform him
- The suspects are the Checkup Students and Duan You if you didn't contact Leng Wuqing
11. Head to the treasure room and fight.
12. After the fight, Talk to Tang Tong
- Get a new & incomplete technique.
- If you have Bone-Forging Method 1 & 2 while you were in outerland, use Bone-Forging Method 1 to
complete it.
- Ask him about the unrest and turmoil in Nanjiant.
13. With the Damaged pellets, talk to Ouyang Hai.
14. Return to Yia Vang,
- Share the info about the fight with the white hair woman
- Share Tang Tong's statement with Yia Vang.
15. By the time you finally rest, your affection with Yia Vang should be 55.
16. Return to you room, Li Yuanxing will tell you there is a plot
17. Go back and warn Yia Vang, more items.
18. Now you can rest, everything should be ready
- Bai Jin will intercept the thieves tomorrow and steal the manual.
19. After the fight, bring the manual to Ouyang Hai
- He tells you about the intentional flaws of the demo weapon.
20. Now talk to Zhao An
- If you did everything correctly as above, he'll tell you about the names of the plotters.
21. At the conclusion of the prelude, Yia Vang join you with an affection of 65.
- Zhao An's Affection at 40
- Gu Sigui at 25
- Yia Vang at 65

Companion Quest:
Literally the entire new Nanjiang Chapter in the Southern Chronicles update.
Observation:
Competes with Frosty Condor for the hottest character art.
Also ridiculously good because her techniques has splash damage and poisons enemies.