#@some of my anxious followers : this post isn't directed to anyone on this website

[thestateofardadreaming]

I’ve come to the conclusion that people who aren’t at peace with themselves or their life feel threatened by those who are.

Time after time, some people try to disturb my peace but I try to be gentle and compassionate instead of reacting.

Their pain is so loud that they need to attack others. May God heal them and give them peace.

[avaantares]

Hey! After seeing posts about it from you for a while, I wanted to check out tgcf, but I wasn’t sure what exactly it is other than cool vibes. Could you give me a little direction please?

Hi, Anon! Sorry if this reply is late; I'm not sure when your Ask came in, as I've had very spotty internet access while traveling, but today I'm on a train that has some form of wifi (though Tumblr still isn't loading completely, so I really hope this posts properly...).

Anyway… HI, FRIEND, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT TGCF

What it is:

Tian Guan Ci Fu, or Heaven Official's Blessing, is a Chinese danmei (M/M romance) novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, the same author who wrote Mo Dao Zu Shi, on which the popular Chinese drama The Untamed is based. (You have doubtless seen that on my blog, as it's another of my obsessions!)

The story follows Xie Lian, a royal prince who, in his youth, ascended to immortal godhood because of his profound skill with the sword. However, he later fell into disgrace and was banished from heaven, abandoned by his allies, and divested of his spiritual power, vanishing into obscurity for centuries.

Eight hundred years later, Xie Lian unexpectedly regains his godly status, throwing the heavens into chaos. Anxious to pacify his fellow gods, he accepts missions to solve problems in the mortal realm -- but the assignments bring him into conflict with other powerful gods and repeatedly entangle him with heaven's greatest enemy, the Ghost King Hua Cheng.

The secrets and conspiracies Xie Lian begins to uncover are inextricably linked to events in his own past, forcing him to confront the fear and guilt he's tried to bury for hundreds of years. On the path to exposing the truth, he makes friends, makes enemies, shakes the foundations of heaven itself, falls in love, and… collects a lot of garbage. (It's his day job. No, seriously.)

Why I like it:

The novel (technically, novels; the story spans five volumes) ranges from light comedy to painful angst to soft romance to some extremely dark moments (trigger warnings may apply), so there's something for every mood. Xie Lian's 800 years of backstory provide plenty of room for twisty plot threads and mystery. The characters are engaging, as well: Xie Lian poses as a warm, fluffy cinnamon roll, but is secretly a tortured charcoal briquette who could actually kill you (my favorite kind of character!), while Hua Cheng can and will murder you with a sideways glance, but is in fact a closeted Cinnabon. The supporting cast is also a lot of fun.

Another plus is that the romance isn't the entire plot -- the story stands on its own merit, while the relationship progresses almost incidentally along the way, making it feel more natural. The romance is essential to the plot and guides characters' choices throughout the story, but it doesn't feel forced in a "NOW KISS" sort of way.

(I just realized that this entire description is probably incomprehensible outside of Tumblr. What would we do without the cinnamon roll analogy? LOL)

Ways to experience the story:

TGCF is currently being released in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. The first two volumes are out now (available in paperback or e-book from your book retailer of choice, or from many public libraries).

There is also an absolutely GORGEOUS manhua (comic), which would be my top recommendation for anyone who is interested in the story but doesn't want to commit to reading five books. It's more complete than the donghua (below) but a faster read than the novels -- plus you get to look at STARember's stunning artwork! The official English translation is free to read on the Bilibili mobile app and website, though you have the option to support it financially (and unlock new chapters faster) if you want to. (Note: The manhua is still in progress, currently updating on a biweekly schedule.)

As mentioned above, there's also a donghua (animated series). The first season, which covers volume 1 of the book, is available on Netflix in many regions, and a second season is slated for release later this year. The animation is very pretty; however, I will caution that the donghua tends to gloss over (or just leave out) some important story elements, so while it's a decent introduction, it's not necessarily the best iteration of the story.

Finally, there is a live-action drama slated to come out… sometime within the next year (I don't think there's an official release date yet), so if you try the story and like it, watch out for [what we assume will be titled in English] Eternal Faith!

I hope that answered your questions! Feel free to hit me up if you have more.