Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu, Vol. 2 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù – [Review]

What’s the Buzz about this book?

Volume 2 continues to follow the life of Xie Lian and picks up directly from Volume 1 with the ring, the mysterious gift left behind by Hua Cheng. Xie Lian questions the gift only briefly before wearing it around his neck. He cannot place the protective, mischievous ghost king with Crimson Rain Sought Flower, the Devastation that killed 33 gods. He never seems to be threatening to Xie Lian; almost the opposite, he is a marshmallow when with Xie Lian.

While in the heavenly realm and finishing the BanYue pass problem, Xie Lian is tasked by the Heavenly Emperor to investigate a heavenly official’s distress signal emanating from Hua Cheng’s ghost city. He is hesitant to believe that the gentle Sang Lang could be dangerous. It’s funny that he thinks that Hua Cheng is gentle, oh! sweet Xie Lian, he is only gentle with you. Along for the ride are the Wind Master and the newly appointed Lang Qianqui. Bumbling around the unfamiliar ghost city, Xie Lian can find Hua Cheng, what is the chance of that?! A very close and charged moment happens for Xie Lian and Hua Cheng involving shaking dice in a cup! The ghostly residents are starting to see a different side of Hua Cheng, a side that is soft and gentle.

Multiple gifts and time is shared between our couple. Magically dice and an armoury is gifted to Xie Lian. Dice that allow for teleportation when a combination is rolled. If you have read the series, you can imagine the bad luck Xie Lian is hesitant to roll. However, the true reason the heavenly officials are in Ghost City takes over and Hua Cheng’s armoury is burnt and Xie Lian is injured! They save the official from the dungeon but Xie Lian feels horrible for taking advantage of Hua Cheng. I think that he was fully aware of their true reason but simply chose to ignore it as he got to hang out with Xie Lian. If you think that is the end of the hardship for Xie Lian you would be mistaken. He is injured saving Lang Qianqui (who is a figure from his past who hates him but doesn’t recognize him) but ends up giving himself away, so trouble restarts. Lang Qianqui wants Xie Lian’s head for his involvement in the Gilded Baquet Massacre, the massacre that led to the death of Lang Qianqui’s royal family.

The next few chapters have our couple and Lang Qianqui finding the true culprit behind the Gilded Banquet Massacre. I knew that Xie Lian did not have a malicious thought toward the royal family, but he always took the blame. He wants to hold the world on his shoulder. Hua Cheng only wishes to prevent injustice and stop any further pain for his beloved. Xie Lian subconsciously rolls the dice, and low and behold, Hua Cheng arrives to rescue him. The rescue from the Heavenly realm was delicious. Hua Cheng arrives in a forbidden location to save Xie Lian. Xie Lian is not terrified by his new friend in any way. He knows that he is safe with Hua Chang. Xie Lian is probably one of the few people in the world Hua Cheng would burn the world for.

Once the true culprit of the massacre is found, Lang Qianqui sets out to capture them, but not before promising to come back and deal with Xie Lian. Xie Lian’s choice to hide the culprit from Lang Qianqui is heartbreaking…he didn’t want Lang Qianqui to be twisted by revenge but also to stop the conflict between Xianle and Yong’an. A conflict we will be close in contact with in the second part of the book. In the second half, we are thrown into the past. We have seen tidbits of Xie Lian’s life as a human crown prince, but soon we will see more. We’re introduced to his two followers ( the two angry generals from Book 1) Feng Xin and Mu Qing. Feng Xin and Mu Qing are opposites but seem dedicated to working with Xie Lian. The novel ends with Xie Lian ascending to the Celestial world. What could be in store for Xie Lian? We know where he ends up, as the laughingstock of the heavenly realm, so what happens to cause the cursed shackle? What about Hua Cheng, how does he connect to Xie Lian? I have a feeling that Book 3 will be painful to read.

Favourite Quote(s):

” You shouldn’t idolize people or think of them as overly perfect,” Xie Lian replaied. “If you’re just watching a shdow from afar and never interacting then sure. But once acquainted and grown close, one day you’ll find that this person isn’t what you imagined, maybe even the complete opposite. When that happens, you’ll be very disapppointed.”

Hua Cheng disagreed respectfully. “you never know. I don’t care if anyone else is disappointed. But to some, they very existence of a certain person in this world is in itself hope.”
Page 253

Book Information:

Book Title: Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu, Volume 2

Author: Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

Summary:

“THE TOUCH OF A HAND, A ROLL OF THE DICE

Xie Lian has confirmed that the bewitching youth San Lang is actually Hua Cheng, one of the Four Calamities and a supreme ghost despised by all heavenly officials. Still, he has trouble matching the terror of his companion’s reputation with the charming, clever, and protective young man he’s come to know.

When a distress signal leads Xie Lian into Ghost City, a bustling metropolis containing all the horrors and delights of the dead, he sees Hua Cheng in his element–and his true form–for the first time. But despite their chemistry and care for one another, there are missions to fulfill and secrets to uncover, and Xie Lian’s centuries of troubled history are never far behind.” (As pulled from GoodReads)

Book Length: 439 pages

Genre: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, LGBTQ2S+, Historical Fantasy, Light Novel, Danmei, Xianxia

Series: Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu

Spice Level ( If applicable): 0 / 5

Overall Rating: 8.6 / 10

Spoilers Bee-ware!

You have been swarmed. Reading past this post means that you understand that you might spoil the book for yourself.

Stats + Facts:

There are 27 chapters.

There are 11 illustrations.

The cover image is a reference of the event on page 299.

I have three favourite illustrations from book 2. They are pages 75, 123, and 186.

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