Where to Start with Mo Xiang Tong Xiu: A Beginner-Friendly Reading Order

Many new readers ask the same question: Which of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s three novels should I read first?

Here is the short answer: there is no official reading order.

The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, and Heaven Official’s Blessing are not one continuous story. They are not a prequel, main story, and sequel. Their characters and worlds are separate. You can start with any one of them without missing information that you need for the others.

Readers often call these books “Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s trilogy,” but the phrase works more as a collective name for the author’s three best-known novels. The order below is an editorial recommendation for beginners. It is not an order set by the author or a publisher.

Recommended Order: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation → Heaven Official’s Blessing → The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

This order works well if you are new to Chinese danmei and to cultivation or xianxia fiction.

It starts with a moderately sized historical fantasy, moves into a longer mythic world, and ends with a comedy that openly plays with web-novel conventions. The transition between the three reading experiences feels fairly smooth.

First: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

The official English title is Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi. The Seven Seas English edition has five volumes.

The story takes place in a historical fantasy world of sects, cultivators, spiritual techniques, and ghosts. The protagonist returns to the human world and has to face people and mysteries left behind in the past.

I recommend it as the first book for three main reasons.

First, the main story is easy to get into. Even if cultivation terminology is new to you, you can follow the investigation and the characters’ choices.

Second, the setting is a strong introduction to the genre. After reading it, you will have a better sense of how sects, cultivation, reputation, and social standing work in this kind of story.

Third, the English edition is complete. You can confirm the full volume count before you start and plan your reading more easily.

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation | Sumeru LabsGrandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Sumeru Labs creator. xianxia, cultivation, slow burn, mystery.

Second: Heaven Official’s Blessing

The official English title is Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu. The Seven Seas English edition has eight volumes.

The story begins when a god returns to the human world. As the journey continues, the systems of Heaven, the mortal realm, and the ghost realm gradually unfold. It is longer than Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation and places more emphasis on mythology and the way time shapes a story.

I do not recommend it second because it is more difficult. It simply asks for more time. After becoming familiar with the basic language of Chinese historical fantasy through the first book, you may find it easier to enter an eight-volume epic.

If you already enjoy epic fantasy, you can absolutely make this your first book instead.

Heaven Official’s Blessing | Sumeru LabsHeaven Official’s Blessing by Sumeru Labs creator. xianxia, gods & ghosts, slow burn, devotion.

Third: The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

The official English title is The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong. The Seven Seas English edition has four volumes.

The premise sounds almost like a joke: a reader enters the web novel he just complained about and becomes the villain of the original story.

The novel includes a system, transmigration, cultivation, and a master-and-disciple setup. It also loves using misunderstandings to create comedy. Many of the jokes come from the reader understanding web-novel conventions while the characters do not realize that they are caught inside those conventions.

That is why I prefer to put it last in the general recommendation. After reading the other two novels, a new reader may already have a sense of Chinese fantasy and danmei storytelling conventions. That makes it easier to appreciate what this book is playing with.

This is not a ranking of quality. If you already enjoy isekai, meta-narratives, and sarcastic protagonists, The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System may actually be the easiest place for you to start.

Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System | Sumeru LabsScum Villain’s Self-Saving System by Sumeru Labs creator. transmigration, xianxia, comedy, meta.

If You Want the Shortest Series First

If an eight-volume epic feels like too much, try this order:

The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System → Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation → Heaven Official’s Blessing

The English edition of The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System has four volumes. Its premise gets moving quickly, and its comedy is more obvious. After finishing it, you can decide whether you want to commit to the five-volume and eight-volume series.

This order works especially well for readers who already enjoy light novels, transmigration stories, or web-fiction culture.

If You Love Epic Fantasy, Start with Heaven Official’s Blessing

If you are comfortable reading long fantasy series, you could choose this order:

Heaven Official’s Blessing → Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation → The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

The mythology and long-form worldbuilding of Heaven Official’s Blessing may feel especially familiar to epic fantasy readers. It does not require any knowledge of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, and you do not need to know any shared characters before starting it.

The only thing to consider is time. Eight volumes are not a flaw, but they are a real reading commitment.

The Differences Matter More Than the Similarities

All three novels have historical fantasy elements and male-centered romantic relationships. All three were written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. Their reading experiences, however, are quite different.

• Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation focuses on cultivation, mysteries, and ensemble storytelling.
• Heaven Official’s Blessing focuses on mythology, a long journey, and emotions that build over time.
• The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System focuses on transmigration, comedy, and meta-narrative.

You do not need to force yourself to follow a “correct” order that does not exist. The best order is usually the one that starts with the book closest to your own taste.

FAQ

Do I have to read Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s three novels in order?

No. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Heaven Official’s Blessing, and The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System have separate worlds, characters, and plots. Any one of them can be your first book.

Which Mo Xiang Tong Xiu novel should I read first?

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation is the usual recommendation. Its English edition has five volumes, placing it between the other two in length, and it offers a strong introduction to cultivation, mystery, and historical fantasy.

Is The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System a prequel to the other two novels?

No. It is a completely independent transmigration and cultivation story. It does not explain the history of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation or Heaven Official’s Blessing.

How many English volumes does each novel have?

The Seven Seas paperback editions have four volumes for The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, five for Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, and eight for Heaven Official’s Blessing. All three paperback series are listed as complete.

Which book should I read if I want a light comedy?

Start with The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System. It uses transmigration, systems, and meta-narrative, and it often turns gaps in character knowledge into comedy.

Which book should I read if I want a large fantasy world?

Start with Heaven Official’s Blessing. Its systems of Heaven, the mortal realm, and the ghost realm unfold gradually, while its eight-volume length gives the world and relationships room to develop.

Are Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation and Heaven Official’s Blessing set in the same world?

No. Both use historical fantasy elements, but their world rules, characters, and stories are completely separate. You do not need to read one before the other.

Is “Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s trilogy” an official series name?

Usually, no. It is mainly a convenient reader term for the author’s three best-known novels. It does not mean that the books form one continuous story.

Sources

• Seven Seas: Licensing announcement for Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s three novels
• Seven Seas: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation
• Seven Seas: Heaven Official’s Blessing
• Seven Seas: The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System
• Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation WIKI
• Heaven Official’s Blessing WIKI
• The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System WIKI