Tian Guan Cifu
Heaven Official's Blessing

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Considering the sizable Mo Xiang Tong Xiu fanbase, I'm surprised there aren't any reviews on this manhua based on her third novel of same title yet. I'm assuming it's because it's incomplete, so I'll break the ice.

Please understand this review is on the manhua up till where it currently has be released in English on Bilibili (we're on volume 5, chapter 70 I believe). I won't give any spoilers from the novel.

This is the highest rating I've given a manga or manhua simply because of one thing: the art. It's gorgeous full colour and stands head and shoulders above any I have ever read. I ... cannot gush more about STARember's style. It (for me at least) is totally unique. The unfortunate thing about illustration trends is that a lot of animation and manga starts to looks similar. TGCF stands out from the crowd. The artist put care, love and attention to detail in ever panel. I can gush a paragraph about how beautifully he renders the colours of the fabric of their garments... but I won't bore you. You get the idea; art = exemplary.

The story, at times, can be confusing if you haven't read the novel. I suspect the artist cut some of the details in order to focus on quality of artwork rather than quantity of panels. The manhua follows several fast-paced, sometimes funny story arcs, all held together with the slow-burning, hauntingly beautiful love story between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng... both whom have been beautifully drawn. Much currently remains a mystery and we haven't yet got to the best story arcs yet, but I so look forward to THE backstory... if you know, you know. All I'll say is that it's achingly painful.

The main characters are incredibly interesting, Xie Lian has lived a tough 800 years without becoming cynical and jaded. His experiences have made him a humble, likeable character. Hua Cheng's character (to date) has not really been revealed... and, as I said, I won't give spoilers except that you'll really want to see more of him.

When I first read the novel I knew nothing about xianxia or cultivation and spent half my time googling these terms. They are not explained in the manhua, but now the official translated novel does. Having a small index of terms at the beginning of the manhua would have been helpful.

I highly recommend TGCF if you enjoy great artwork, are open-minded about BL stories, enjoy Xianxia novels and like long-haired bishies running around in robes. Actually, if you enjoy great artwork just read it, I guarantee you won't regret.

I do realise that my rating of 10/10 has been affected by my knowledge of the novel storyline, nostalgia and sentimentality, but trust me... the artwork is 11/10!

Oh yes, and did I mention just how great the artwork was? 😂

I don’t really write reviews, but this will be my first exemption. Because wow…

Being completely unbiased from my adoration of the TGCF novel and all of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s works, I still have to say that this is the most visually beautiful manhua I’ve ever laid my eyes upon.

This adaptation of Tian Guan Ci Fu has so far followed the original work very accurately. We follow Xie Lian - a fallen god now reduced to collecting scraps - as he ascends to the heavens for a third time and meets a mysterious ghost king who terrifies the heavens and goes by the name Hua ... Cheng.

You can read this manhua perfectly without having read the novel, however, I will point out that it can get a bit confusing at times if you have no relation to the whole story. Though, it is 100% the best adaptation of TGCF if you don’t feel like reading a 700k word novel ;)

The world of TGCF is rich and interesting, and we meet many lovable characters along the way, who all have their own individual stories that twist together in a loop of fate. There is great humor, adoring personalities, and tragic backstories (later on too, my most favorite arc in all of fiction!!). The world building of most Xianxia works is always a joy to explore, and the genre has been visually represented in TGCF better than I’ve ever seen before.

As mentioned the art is gorgeous, and that’s where one tiny con also comes into play; it takes a while for chapters to come out. Given the length of TGCF I do wonder if they will ever manage to adapt the entire story, and if so, in just how many years we see the final chapter released. However, the wait is absolutely worth it and I can’t appraise STARember enough for the consistent quality. Every panel is colored and rendered to perfection, and as an old TGCF fan, seeing the story be brought to life in the form of such ethereal art could not make me happier.

As of writing this review, the story of this manhua has only progressed to the Ghost City arc. But if it upholds the adaptation accuracy, you will learn that TGCF at its core is a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL, story. One of fate, love, loneliness and loyalty. I pray that the manhua will not stray away from the blessing that is the relationship between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. I have never experienced a fictional relationship between two characters pierce my heart as hard as theirs. Their love is sad, tragic, yearnful, and so so pure. A soulmate bond I think everyone deserves to witness. So far there has been no censorship, so I have very high hopes!!

The Tian Guan Ci Fu manhua is definitely a must read. The art alone is worth your time, and if you also find the story interesting and want a clearer picture, I can’t stress it enough; read the novel!! It’s amazing!