Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Deluxe Hardcover Novel) Vol. 5

天官赐福 [Tiān Guān Cì Fú] #5

by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù, ZeldaCW (illustrator), 日出的小太陽 (tai3_3) (Illustrator)

LAST GHOST STANDING, FIRST LOVE BLOSSOMS

Ghosts are converging on the cursed Mount Tonglu for a massive battle royale, the sole survivor of which may become a Ghost King, a being of unimaginable power. Xie Lian is sent to secretly infiltrate and try to prevent this–by destroying any ghosts strong enough to stand a chance.

His heavenly powers are weakened near the cursed mountain, but he has one trump card on his side–Hua Cheng, who has survived Mount Tonglu before. As they struggle against murderous ghosts and the mountain’s strange defenses, Hua Cheng’s knowledge of the area may prove invaluable. But can they even begin to unravel the cursed peak’s secrets?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Historical, Fiction, China

476 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Associated Names:
* 墨香铜臭 (Chinese)
* Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù
* โม่เซียงถงซิ่ว (Thai)
* 묵향동후 (Korean)
* Мосян Тунсю (Russian)

Reviews

[el · Rating 4 out of 5]

hua cheng to literally everyone in this book: i liked xie lian 5000 years before you did i was in the temples reading his scripture and prophesizing the return of his fine ass

[Lau ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing that pains me more than this. Volume four was my favorite so far, so I wasn’t expecting to struggle as much as I did to finish this one. If it wasn’t for Moni, I may not have finished it at all.


It’s like all the problems I had in the previous installments decided to be highlighted; from the comedy to the slow pace to the lack of development of the characters. While some readers love seeing tragedy mixed with over the top humor, my brain can’t understand how I can take the drama seriously when it’s embedded in the most unrealistic situations. I loved seeing it on the donghua but, for some reason I don’t quite comprehend, the kind of humor I appreciate in animation I don’t like in books. Usually it’s not a big problem because the humorous scenes are few and dispersed throughout the book, but MXTX decided to make this a ‘relaxing and chill’ time before the storm and it was more prominent than ever.


On top of that, I’m getting tired of seeing Hua Cheng and Xie Lian dancing around each other without actually having any kind of development. Yes, we have a couple of cute scenes of them acting as the married couple they unofficially are but, after over a thousand pages of story, I think it’s time for us to see some real steps. If it wasn’t enough, I’m getting tired of following the shenanigans and mysteries behind secondary characters that I’ve stopped to care about. I want more Hualian and less filler.


The worst part is that I’m even getting tired of them. Hua Cheng, with his charm and confidence, used to be my major crush out of all the MXTX’s heroes yet, the more I read, the flatter he seems. He hasn’t moved from his original self since book one. For a series as long as this one, I would expect way more character development. While I was able to see the differences between Crown Prince Xie Lian and eight-hundred-year-old Xie Lian, the ‘present’ Xie Lian hasn’t really changed since book one. I know I shouldn’t compare but, if you have read Mo Dao Zu Shi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation), we both know the author is more than capable of making the best character arcs (Lan Wanji’s)-and using less volumes for that.


Overall, I felt the author added this volume to drag out the story more than it was necessary, nothing really stood up for me and I’m starting to see this may not be for me after all. If any of you have read book six, please tell me it gets better because I have bought the next one before reading this one and now I don’t know where to look to find the excitement to pick it up.


thank you Moni for buddy reading this series with me, I’m so sorry for taking forever to finish this one 😭💛


↬ Heaven Official's Blessing (Ti Guan Ci Fu):
Book 1: 3.5 stars
Book 2: 3 stars
Book 3: 3 stars
Book 4: 3.75 stars
Book 5: 2 stars

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not me going crazy over this story again

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 'The calm before the storm' stars

This vol was hilarious and I can't remember the last time I laughed so much 😂 and after the previous arc, it was really good to get some time to breathe and de-stress. However, nothing much has happened and it dragged a little bit. But overall I've had a really good time reading this part.



The beginning already was very adorable. We have de-aged Hua Cheng and if that's not the cutest sight then I don't know what it is (Dianxia agrees with me!) I know he's supposed to be older(?) but in my head he was so smol 🥰 (If LBH and CWN can be six y/o, so deserves HC. And the ilustrations are the cutest ❤️ he also looks smol there ☺️)

"Why do I think he looks a lot like..."
"Like my son, right?" Xie Lian easily replied
Feng Xing was shocked. "... When did you have a son?!"
Xie Lian smiled. "I haven't had one yet. I'm just saying that if I do have a son, he will surely be just as cute, right?"
Hua Cheng held Xie Lian's hand and smiled. "Right."

I'm sure Hua Cheng was already planning how to make his gege pregnant 🤭


Fanart by Zelda


Fanart by Samairu



Hua Cheng's return to his normal self and his "Dianxia, I'm back." was really iconic!



my gif

And it's really cute to read about Xie Lian fangirling about his San Lang 🥰 Can this two just get together already, lol

Xie Lian slowly approached Hua Cheng. He saw that the man's shoulders had a few red blossoms scattered on them, and he wanted to brush them off for him, but he realized that gesture would be overly intimate. So he forced down the urge and tucked his arms behind his back, smiling.
"Not only can you call forth blood rain, you can also make a flower shower. I didn't know that. How fun!"

Fanart by cheellei


I really liked hualian in this vol. They even started acknowledge their feelings a little. Yes, they are still slow in understanding but I think we're finally getting somewhere. Look, I'll take this scene as their engagement.


Fanart by lanawaay

"This is...?"
On the third finger of his left hand there was now a thin red string, carefully tied there by Hua Cheng. The red string extended outward and connected to a red string knotted around Hua Cheng's finger.
Hua Cheng smiled and raised his own hand to show him that they now had identical tiny red butterfly knots on their fingers.
"Now we're joined together."

Hua Cheng still doesn't belive that he's the one Xie Lian trusts the most, and Xie Lian still gets all flustered just thinking "forbidden" thoughts about San Lang but they are always so adorable together!


Fanart by Eetttaaa

After being burried in Hua Cheng's arms for so long, Xie Lian was able to finally, completley scrub the horrifying image of the mural from his brain. Only then did he realize the position the two of them were in. He quickly moved to pull himself away from the embrace.
"... How embarrassing, San Lang. I, um..."
However, Hua Cheng didn't let him break away. He instead pulled him in closer, smiling as he did so.
"Nothing to be embarrassed about."

Fanart by Kiiliea

I don't have much to say about this vol. In the middle it started dragging a little bit because I had a feeeling eveything is happening so slow and that the story just doesn't make any progress at all. However, there were also a lot of hilarious moments. I already mentioned baby Hua Cheng parts and traveling together was really funny as well.


Fanart by naixaie



I didn't expect that General Pei will grow on me but he kind of did, lol. He's just so hilarious (that doesn't mean I forgive him for being misogynistic) and his addition to this expedition was a nice surprise. Even more I was excited to meet Banyue and Pei Xiu again. I would be so bored without all these charachters creating chaos around hulian, and on top of that I also ship them so hard! Banyue is the sweetest girl ghost lady and she must be protected at all costs!! AND she deserves everything she wants! (If that happens to be that little scoundrel, so be it. But I think he should die and become a ghost because he's pretty useless as a human 😅)


Fanart by naixaie




my gifs

There was another part that was a little long-ish. I know Yin Yu and Quan Yizhen are a popular ship but I've never seen them in a romantic way. I guess their story needed to be told somewhere but honestly I was just waiting for all of them to reach Mt. Tonglu, that I was kind of impatient.



I feel really sorry for Yin Yu. What can I say, the more pathetic a man is, the more likely I'd want to adopt him into my... whatever this is I'm collecting, lol. Anyway, he too deserves so much more than he got, and I hope that Quan Yizhen will once be able to communicate how much his shixiong means to him.


Fanart by Rachitori

I (think) I get why some readers like Qi Rong but I just can't with him. I have to admit that from time to time he provides a needed comical relief* but otherwise I can't stand him. (*comical, yes, relief, not so much, because I'm always so worried for Guzi.)



I don't understand how a bunch of Heaven Officials - literal gods! - can't take care of one single little child. I mean, even Qi Rong is trying to be a better dad to him. Moni didn't know whether to laugh or cry...


Fanart by Konia

In the end, I have to mention Yushi Huang too. Now, that Ling Wen has been compromised, she seems to be the only decent Official out there. And hopefully the one with enough brain cells to know what she's doing because honestly, others are lost cases, haha. And I want her to put Pei Ming in his place. That would be so amazing to see.



Hope to see more of hualian being together together! in the next vol ❤️🤍



Fanart by Rauch

5 'silver butterflies' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 'Chengzhu and his Dianxia' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4,5 'flowers and lanterns' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
5 '😭😢🥺' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 'The calm before the storm' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 'Body in abyss, heart in paradise' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
tbr
tbr

[anmol]

GET READY TO BE FUCKING SICK OF ME BCS I FINALLY HAVE THIS OHMGGG I MISSED MY BABIES 😭

[Izzy⁷♡•° · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Do you think I would so easily allow you lot to touch my heart's dearest treasure?'

I don't want arc 3 to end, mum come pick me up I'm scared

————————

Not me literally losing my mind over each cover reveal...

LOOK AT THEM *SOBBING*

[Strudelnudel (mad kitchen scientist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

[nark · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love hualian but the overall plot is dragging a bit imo... i was a little bored at times 🙈

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah yes, the roadtrip episodes.

You know what I'm talking about. This volume is essentially that cluster of episodes in a show where the impromptu team goes on an adventure and absurdity ensues.

In other words: the calm before the storm. You always know shit's about to go down when an author throws some diverting hijinks atcha.

There are still moments of important plot development and FUCKING ADORABLE Hualian scenes, but my impatient ass was struggling a bit in this one cause (while I still loved it) my brain was like "GET TO THE GOOD STUFF."

However, my restlessness was soothed every time Xie Lian and Hua Cheng so much as looked at each other.

[Isobel · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was like being forced to do 50 side quests before getting back to the main plot only to learn you still need to do more side quests

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

4/14/23:

I finished at last! And it wasn't really worth it. This took me 12 days in all to finish. The other volumes I've read by this author took me 4-5 days each. It was just so slow, despite all the nonsense going on. Like, can these guys be serious for two seconds, please?

This was filler. 411 pages of filler. Baby ghost and his ghost mama are back. Guess what? They're still creating chaos everywhere they go. Qi Rong is back. Guess what? He's still annoying and gross. The bride ghost from volume one is back. Guess what? She's still annoying and largely pointless. Pei Qing's spiritual device is actually a ghost too, it turns out? And hates him? ... Um, okay. Sure, why not. On top of that, we learn a lot of backstories for a lot of the minor side characters, and maybe this stuff will be important later, but it's largely pointless now. Finally, I got to the last page, and they're just barely reaching Mount Tonglu. Are you fricking kidding me?! 🤨

Not helping any of this is my general disinterest in and waning regard for Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. Cheng is just awful. He's perfect at everything, and despises and abuses anyone who isn't Xie Lian. Seeing how in love he was with Lian in the first few volumes was sweet, but it's worn thin at this point, and he's really got nothing else going for him. Xie Lian is perfect. He's serene and fearless and can handle himself, but Cheng seems to think he's a precious cinnamon roll who shouldn't ever have to lift a finger to do anything for himself. Lian does nothing about Cheng's abuse of others. He doesn't even bother forming an opinion of it. And what's really the point in having all these dangerous situations popping up time and again when these two can just wave their hands and it's taken care of? And I've mentioned before in reviews of the previous volumes that the romance element between them wasn't really working for me, and I think as of now it's entirely dead. I just don't care if they get together or not, or how they'll manage it if they do. Plus, for as smart and sharp as Lian is about literally everything else, he's still to figure out who Cheng was in his past, or even that he was *in* Lian's past, and there's zero reason for that.

I was worried at first when I saw that this was eight volumes. How can this story really need that much time to be told? Well, by dragging its feet and never getting to the point, that's how. This volume does suffer from following the previous one, which was the best by far. This is just side quest after side quest after side quest, and it went nowhere. For as tense as this should have been, the quest for Mount Tonglu ended up being like a National Lampoon vacation but boring.

*sigh*

IDK. Maybe if I'd waited until all the volumes were released before starting this, these things wouldn't bother me as much. But with the wait times in between, I'm just not really finding myself anticipating future releases for this story anymore. Not like I am for GMoDC. (The last one for that comes out May 2! But my library doesn't have it available in their system to reserve a copy yet. 🙁) So this is probably going to be it for me and this series, though I'll reassess that in November once the last one comes out.

2/3/23:
Pausing this at 37%, Chapter 80. I'll come back to this once the other three are available. Maybe that'll help convince me to push through all this boring Mount Tonglu stuff.

[lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a fool writing a happy birthday sign, starting in bigass letters and quickly running out of room, I’ve left myself no space to keep rating these volumes in proportion to their quality. Oops! I gave the first two 4 stars, and the next two 5, and by that scale this one should be a 6. Not allowed! and will the next one deserve 7 stars??? We’ve just gotta do like the mathematicians and agree that one infinity can be greater than another infinity. When I say 5 stars this time, it’s even fiver than last time, ok?

Finally, it feels like we’re really somewhere! Not lounging around at home, not off on a briefly perilous side quest, but somewhere big and scary and mysterious that matters in and of itself—Mount Tonglu. Every moment since Xie Lian and Hua Cheng crossed into the mountain’s domain (by infiltrating a gaggle of ghosts, a very fun scene) has felt electric to me. I mean come on, this arc is a quest fantasy with a motley crew trekking through ancient wilds, it’s a survivalist battle royale between ghosts in a volcano, AND it’s a paranormal archeological mystery?? bro… I am IN IT.

And as everything comes together here, I’m starting to see the bespoke narrative origami of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s plotting! What I’ve been waiting for all along!!! The way she folds so many past side characters into the center now, overlapping their personal histories… it easily could’ve felt trite, I think. Too convenient, that everyone ever is here at the Don’t Go Here Under Any Circumstances Mountain. But it doesn’t. It’s got the heavy momentum of inevitability, and it feels rich and multi-dimensional and messy in the best way—in other words, alive. The story feels alive now.

And that life, that complexity, is what lets this plot withstand the stress testing of exceptionally smart characters. So many of these people make clever strategic moves and read each other's intentions and emotions to filth on the reg. And Xie Lian and Hua Cheng especially are both super perceptive and good at deduction. (Part of why I loved the archeology mystery aspect so much is their romantic chemistry shines when they’re investigating and talking through theories together! <33) But the story’s interlocking mysteries are big enough to give up secrets—a lot of them—to that theorizing without losing their driving intrigue. This is the opposite of an idiot plot. It’s genius-proof.

And I guess that applies to me as a reader, too! Not that I’m a genius, but I’ve predicted a number of lore reveals and plot developments that would’ve killed a novel of smaller scope in cold blood. TGCF is alive and well and still juggling delicious-looking secrets tauntingly out of reach.

p.s. i love Banyue so dearly, i’m happy she’s out of her pickle jar!! 🦂🐍

[ir · Rating 4 out of 5]

some parts in this that i really enjoyed. huge fan of the bit with xie lian, feng xin, and mu qing at the beginning of the volume. i like the xianle trio a LOT and i need more of them… i need that reconciliation soon. xie lian feeling nostalgic over feng xin remembering the password to his spiritual communication array and them looking out for each other is everything. other than that, i like ling wen’s character a lot and that bit concerning quan yizhen and yin yu was nice. i see the potential for a really great ship for them and im waiting to see if anything happens…

hualian moments i enjoyed were simple in this volume… hua cheng getting jealous of who xie lian trusted the most, them in the grave together, the red string, and hua lian saying something like “i’ll always be on your side” to xie lian were cute moments.

i haven’t really gotten spoiled for stuff for this volume and so on so im looking forward to everything - especially this super angsty arc that’s supposed to come? i can’t wait!

[Linh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 5 - Continuation of the Tong Lu Mountain Arc.

Surprisingly funny (Xie Lian's cooking is just the best 😂).

Man, I just can't wait till I get the entire series fully translated, and on my shelf. 😫

[˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚HIATUS˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's so pink I'm in love



I have some issues with the bigotry in this book hmhmhmhmhm

review to come

[libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm too attached to this i can't even write a proper review

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inhaled this volume - I’m usually not much of a romantic, but I have to say that this book did make me feel warm inside on more than one occasion.
Anyway, this book is amazing. Read it, please.

[Marina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

❃ Last Ghost Standing, First Love Blossoms❃

Gosh this series will be the death of me!
The action, the tension, the characters, Hua Cheng’s nonchalant ass attitude, ALL OF IT>>>>

𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓞𝓯𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵’𝓼 𝓑𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰, Book number 5.
I’m sad because the series is almost ending. This story continues With Xie Lian chasing after the Barcode Immortal and attempting to keep another Ghost king from being born after the infamous Mount Tonglu is awakened. Hua Cheng is the first to accompany him of course and they encounter quite a bit on the Journey to the heart of the mountain.

“You’ve always been the strongest. But you don’t need to be strong every walking moment of every day,” Xie Lian soothed him. “Just…think of this as giving me some face. Let me protect you this once. Please? Okay?”

~ when Hua Cheng was currently in his baby Cheng form, Xie Lian did not hold back in the teasing. It was 𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖.


❃ Hua Cheng reached out and lifted Xie Lian’s chin. “His temper is certainly nice, but mine is bad. No one but me can touch the things I love.”

❃ “Try touching him, I dare you,” Hua Cheng warned frigidly. “Do you think I would so easily allow you lot to touch my heart’s dearest treasure?”

~ still screaming for this 👆Hua Cheng does NOT play when it comes to Xie Lian. I loved how their chemistry keeps increasing and they keep having more high tension moments and I wish they would just get married already. 🫶❤️


~I can’t express how much I’m in Love with Hua Cheng 😂

❃ “I might not be able to decide if the road is easy, but whether I walk it is entirely up to me,” Hua Cheng said quietly

~ like we have enough reasons to love you Hua cheng stop being so fricken wise and protective 😩

~ One of my favorite moments in this book is when Xie Lian was trying to think of candidates of people who fell under the two requirements: 1. Someone he trusted with his whole heart and 2. someone he didn’t have the power to retaliate against. One of them was obviously Hua Cheng and Xie Lian was trying to say that there was a person he trusted more than anything…but didn’t say Hua Cheng’s name 🤦‍♀️ And Hua Cheng legit thought Xie Lian was talking about someone else and his jealous side came out again. He was like “it’s okay you don’t have to tell me”...but then two seconds later he was trying to guess 😂😭 like BRO it's 𝔂𝓸𝓾. you’re the one he trusts the most. You guys are in love please just realize it 😩

❃ Xie Lian lightly cleared his throat. “It's embarrassing to say,” he said shyly. “Because…if I were to make a grave mistake, or find myself in trouble after upsetting a huge hornets’ nest, he’s the first one I’d think to call…And my trust for him isn’t quite the same as what I have for my master and the Emperor…”


❃ Xie Lian chewed on his words before he finally, arduously squeezed out a quiet request. “You….you too. If there’s something dangerous, I won’t touch it, but you don’t touch it either. Neither of us will touch it. All right?”

~ I swear these bishes are 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓅𝓅𝑒𝒹 for each other

❃ xie Lian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ❃
(there were 5 of these this book 👆)

[✨Galaxy✨]

HOLY SHIT THAT COVER ALSFHASLDASLFHKALSDHA

ISTG EVERY COVER REVEAL JUST IMMEDIATELY DECIMATES ME

[ᴰⁱˢGrace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have finally finished this and started the next volume ... I've done it!!!

First and foremost, Yushi Huang. Why is her presence so majestic? And then we have that illustration with her on the ox, and again she has that majestic aura! (and then we get info about her past and...speechless. At least she'd lived a better and more peaceful life after she'd ascended.)
Also, XL asked about the Wind Master, and I- (🫠)
They kept mentioning beefleaf so casually, I had so much heartache 😭 (def going to read fanfics after this)
Yin Yu and Quan Yizhen really had me cackling in the first bit and then I shed tears... I felt so bad for both of them 😭 And then I started crying again from laughter cuz XL thought YY whacked QY dead 🤣
And HC, sir, excuse me... They both are in some life-threatening situation and "HC put his hand on XL's waist...." I was cracking up during these dire situations cuz of THIS MAN 😂❤️(grasping the fluffy stuff like my life depends on it to start the next vol lol)
My favorite part was discovering the fact that Pei Ming is one of us... He ships it 😂🤌

And the mention of the human face disease had me shivering at 2am 😭
The cliffhanger literally didn't help, OFC IK WHO IT IS AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I DREAD
but I still started the next vol right after😀
Ig this is where I officially join the fandom...by reading the next vol and trauma bonding(?) (I'm def not ready😭😂)

[uyumochiii · Rating 5 out of 5]

This made me sob like a baby... i have never sobbed reading anything ever in my life... I might tear a lil but this one was truly the best thing that I have read in forever.... i am soo thankful that this beautiful creation exists..

[ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

how am i supposed to wait until may?

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew it! One hour is all it would take! I guess, it’s good that I didn’t force myself to finish this last night because—WHAT A FRICKEN TURN OF EVENTS. This would deffo keep me up all night.

And, oh, imagine finally being graced by the presence of the Rain Master—after five fricken thick volumes. And, oh, she’s such a holy, graceful, immaculate wOMAN?! AND HAS REALLY GREAT CHEMISTRY WITH PEI MING? I’m finished. I’m dead. I’ll cease to exist! I’m delusional but I don’t care Ol’ Pei followed Queen Yushi and I’m holding onto those words! BECAUSE HE’S WORRIED SHE CAN’T TAKE CARE OF HERSELF WITH THE PRESENCE OF THE SWARMING CORPSE-EATING, FELINE-SIZE RATS? BUT, LIKE, SHE’S CARRYING HER HOLY BUT MURDEROUS WEAPON, YULONG? OKAY, MXTX, OKAY. I’ll stay on this ship, till my last breath!

This mad of a volume had me sobbing, grabbing for dear life, had urged me to wreak havoc, made me vomit with the graphic details, had me smiling from ear to ear, and had me go back to crying good tears with runny snot in my nose again. GIVE ME TISSUES! I RAN OUT OF 2 FRICKEN ROLLS.

TGCF is turning me into a mad woman! I’m also mad about Pei Ming. All it took were damn five precious volumes to appreciate such beauty in that that woman-scorned, proud martial god (still thinking about the ghost candies, making me laugh out loud. I love him, I’m sorry. He’s mine, I’m claiming him!) I appreciate the lovely team MXTX built around in this volume consisting oddly of Pei Ming, Pei Xiu, Banyue, and Hualian. Also, Pei Xiu fell as 4th victim for Xie Lian’s cooking! Haha! I just learned why Xie Lian’s food can be hurled as weapon and might as well be fatal as it could serve as poison—THEY BURN THE THING UNTIL IT DEMATERIALIZES AND TURN INTO A SPIRIT 😳

AND THE RED STRINGS SCENE. Kill me now. I think, I’m ready and I have no regrets (oops, let me finish the last three volumes first!)

I just can’t believe the readability of TGCF. I would read the words over and over because I can’t get enough. I would think about it all day during weekdays (or busy days). I would look at fan-arts on pinterest just to cry! If this isn’t obsession, what is it?

[Yari · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a ride! Now I am utterly terrified of picking up vol. 6!
I loved how this story took almost all the batshit things from the previous volumes and turn it up a hundred! It was very hilarious!
But it also took the angst to an eleven. I could feel the waves of anxiety rolling off the chapters of Yin Yu and Quan Yizhen's past and Xie Lian's trauma regarding the human face disease. It was horrible and so well written.

[Tan✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVERYTIME a new volume comes out I just automatically rate it five stars and move on. Atp I have 20 copies of just TGCF on my read shelf. But hualian 😮‍💨♥️♥️♥️♥️

[_.eameli · Rating 5 out of 5]

من به این مجموعه ۵کامل میدم و این جلدش انقدر زیبا بود که من قادر نیستم تا اطلاع ثانوی براش یه ریویو بنویسم:)
برید بخونید این درد رو تا استخوان‌ هاتون حسش میکنید

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only regret is reading this so fast, because now I have to wait for vol 6 to come out 😭😭

They’re just so good. I am absolutely hooked. I started TGCF after seeing season 1 of the Donghua on Netflix. Since season 2 was taking a while to come out I figured I would read to find out more. I went in it expecting it to be a casual read. Vol 1 is pretty much season 1 almost word for word. I could take my time. I loved HuaLian and wanted to see where life took them. Know the answers to their separation for 800 years. By vol 3 something had happened where it no longer was a casual read, and I became strongly invested in not just Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, but all the characters. Every single one of them has wormed their way into my heart. Good or bad. Doesn’t matter. I’ve enjoyed following along with their stories. The twists and turns. The crazy shit some of them have done to ascend. The humor when they’re mixed together. Their chaotic adventures.
I’m a goner.
It’s all glorious. To think I have to wait for the next part 😭

[kay! ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

are you a normal person or do you roll around your bed kicking the air punching a pillow and giggling because HUALIAN IS SO FLIPPING CUTE AND ADORABLE???

yeah :)

i’m definitely not normal because the amount of times i had to do the good old ‘slapping a hand over my mouth because hua cheng and xie lian ran around saying the most blatantly obvious confessions of love’ so many times. everything out of their mouths had me fjwjdjwjdjjwjdjd you know???

also. xie lian. the amount of times he casually talked about his trauma only to sit there like 🤭 oh well!!! thank goodness for san lang finally telling him that if he’s in pain or hungry or tired or sad that he was *allowed* to be those things? yeah. my heart 😭

[Hope Redgrave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tension everywhere.

The mysteries grow thicker and the tenderness become more fragile.

MXTX weaves dread and beauty so seamlessly that you almost forget to breathe.

[trice (semi ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“我发誓，上天入地你再找不到一个比我更有诚意的。”