Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu, Vol. 3 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù [Review]

What’s the Buzz about this book?

“Something to Fight for, Someone to Live For,” (Back cover) demonstrates the focus of Book 3, Xie Lian fights to stop the destruction of his former people while someone begs for a reason to keep on living. We are thrown into the past for the first half, filled with tribulations and struggles. Newly a god, Xie Lian cannot seem to forget his mortal family and country. Xie Lian knows that he cannot interfere, but he seems to be unable. I don’t know if would have been able to turn my back on everything I knew, either.

That determination and naivety take Xie Lian, Feng Xin, and Mu Qing down a dark road. A road that will end with Xie Lian falling from a beloved martial god to a fallen god of misfortune. Oh, it was a painful part of the series, but necessary. We are faced with a very different Xie Lian. A naive young man who has dreams of peace in a country that is at the breaking point. We are also introduced to a beloved character, but only if you are paying attention. This character has been and will be Xie Lian’s most devoted believer and supporter. He is a young boy with nothing to live for but latching onto Xie Lian as a way to live. Additionally to his young boy, we see the connection between Xie Lian and the two generals from Book 1, Feng Xin and Mu Qing. Troublesome humans follow Xie Lian into godhood but have their flaws and mistakes.

Xie Lian’s warned that the kingdom of Xianle is doomed to fail. The kingdom was faced with drought, the rising conflict between the Xianle and Yong’an peoples, and finally, a horrible disease. Xian Lian tries his hardest to change the fate of his people…to stop the destruction and bring peace, but it all seems to fail. It felt like it was being controlled by another person like someone was stopping Xie Lian from succeeding.

Xie Lian’s pain works to teach him the futility of gods, that sometimes it is impossible to save everyone. The mortals that worshipped him when under extreme pressure would turn on the easiest target, the person who was unable to save them.

If the first half of the book was painful and filled with Xie Lian’s failings, the second half is much brighter. Hua Cheng is now powerful enough to shelter and protect Xie Lian from his bad luck. Back in the present, Qi Rong is still haunting Xie Lian and has taken the pain to another level. He possessed a human and refused to leave. Xie Lian is annoyed but can only take the man and his son with him.

A light-hearted moment is much needed after the first half. A festival in the heavens has all the immortals competing to have the most blessed lanterns. Xie Lian does not expect to have any lanterns as he is a scrap collector and a god of misfortune. I love the scene that is painted (and the illustration) when 3,000 lanterns float through the heavens, all dedicated to Xie Lian. His devoted believer has shown up once again to show his dedication.

We are also blessed in book 3 to see the first kiss between Hua Cheng and Xie Lian!! It is a HUGE shock to Xie Lian as his cultivation path requires no intimate thoughts or actions, and Hua Cheng only does this to save Xie Lian. This commotion leads to an adorable scene in which Xie Lian seems to be broken. He cannot look Hua Cheng in the face without blushing and tries to walk away forgetting about the needle in his foot. Hua Cheng is quick to help and heal his Crown Prince.

Book 3 ends with a new problem. While resting at Puqi Shrine, Xie Lian poisons people with his horrible cooking and Hua Cheng washing dishes, they are visited by Wind Master, Shi Qingxuan and Earth Master, Ming Yi. They are mightly surprised to see Crimson Rain Sought Flower, the all-powerful and terrifying Ghost King, washing dishes. Shi Qingxuan needs help with a Vernerable of Empty Words. A monster that feeds on pain and likes to bring their targets extreme unhappiness.

I have already started Book 4, as I am reading the series with my Mother, as she is already on Book 5! I cannot wait to see Hua Cheng and Xie Lian grow closer. The Venerable of Empty Words needs to be stopped, as they have threatened Shi Qingxuan’s brother. Maybe we’ll learn more about my favourite good-chaotic character, Qingxuan.

Favourite Quote(s):

” Whether anything was going on between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng was a true mystery, as was the nature of their relationship. Before this, the majority (of the gods) had thought it was more believable to say that Hua Cheng kidnapped Xie Lian with nefarious intent. After all, there was no reason to suspect that this show of courtesy was insincere, since it was so at odds with Hua Cheng’s usual wild lawlessness. After this Mid-Autumn festival Banquet, one would be hard pressed to say Hua Cheng harbored malevolence toward Xie Lian — three thousand Blessing Lanterns! Even for the Water Master, who controlled wealth, that wasn’t something one could pull off just because they felt like it. “
Page 281

Book Information:

Book Title: Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu, Volume 3

Author: Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

Summary:

“SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR, SOMEONE TO LIVE FOR

Gods should never meddle in the affairs of mortals, but Xie Lian is not one to follow the rules when lives are at risk. He spits in the face of heaven and its laws and descends in a fury to save his country from drought and civil war. Yet this golden child gets a harsh dose of reality when he discovers just how little one individual—even a god—can do to save a crumbling nation. As the people reject and betray him, one young soldier stands by Xie Lian—a boy with a face wrapped in bandages and a fierce loyalty in his heart. In this chaotic past, can an unshakable bond grow from the ashes of unimaginable destruction?” (As pulled from GoodReads)

Book Length: 467 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: 8.5 / 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:

24 chapters ( chapters 28 – 51).

There are 13 illustrations. My favourite illustrations are on pages 278 and 306.

First kiss on page page 303.

The cover image references the scene starting on page 305.

Buzzing for Books