If you want bl anime like Heaven Official's Blessing, start with danmei-based donghua rather than ordinary school BL. The closest matches are the ones with historical fantasy, spiritual power, slow-burn devotion, and romance that is sometimes clearer in the novels than on screen. For the safest first pick, go to Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation; for a different mood, choose by the part of Heaven Official's Blessing you miss most.
Best BL anime and donghua like Heaven Official's Blessing
The strongest matches are mostly Chinese donghua adapted from danmei novels. That matters because the animated versions often keep the romantic charge but soften direct romantic scenes, so the best choice depends on whether you want canon couple energy, fantasy adventure, or emotional tension first.
| Title | Best reason to watch | Good fit if you want |
|---|---|---|
| Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation | Closest overall match | Devotion, mystery, cultivation, emotional payoff |
| Scumbag System | Same MXTX danmei roots with a lighter tone | Comedy, transmigration, cultivation parody |
| Thousand Autumns | Mature tension between difficult leads | Ideological conflict, martial arts, slow trust |
| Legend of Exorcism | Supernatural action with strong chemistry | Demons, magic, team adventure |
| Dinghai Fusheng Records | Historical journey with a growing central bond | Exorcists, travel, danger, partnership |
Best picks by what you liked
A common mistake is choosing the next series only because it is also danmei or also historical fantasy. It works better to choose by the exact part of Heaven Official's Blessing that stayed with you: devotion, mystery, comedy, demons, or the feeling of two leads slowly becoming necessary to each other.
Devotion and mystery: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation
Choose Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation if Hua Cheng's loyalty and the layered past in Heaven Official's Blessing were your main hooks. The mystery gives the story shape, while Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's bond gives each reveal more weight.
For a low-risk next watch, this is the one to try before experimenting with more different tones. It has the strongest overlap in author style, emotional patience, and plot-driven romance.
Complex leads: Thousand Autumns
Thousand Autumns is the pick for viewers who enjoy watching two intelligent characters challenge each other. The relationship is compelling because neither man fits neatly into a simple savior, villain, or love-interest role.
If you prefer romantic softness, save it for later. If you like tension built through debate, power, restraint, and changing respect, move it near the top of your list.
Demons and magic: Legend of Exorcism
Go with Legend of Exorcism when you want more supernatural movement on screen. It is especially useful after a slower series because the exorcism setup gives you clear threats, group dynamics, and magical action without dropping the danmei appeal completely.
Historical adventure: Dinghai Fusheng Records
Dinghai Fusheng Records fits a viewer who wants a journey rather than a single mystery-heavy arc. The road-adventure structure gives the leads room to argue, cooperate, and adjust to each other while the world expands around them.
- Choose it for: travel, exorcists, and gradual teamwork.
- Skip it for now if: you only want the most intense romance available.
Comedy and transmigration: Scumbag System
Scumbag System is the palate cleanser. It still has cultivation, a central male relationship, and MXTX character drama, but the transmigration setup lets it poke fun at genre rules instead of staying solemn all the time.
This is a good second or third pick if you have just finished something emotionally heavy. The early comedy makes it easy to start, while the later character tension keeps it from feeling like a throwaway parody.
How much romance do they show?
Expect less direct romance in the donghua than in the novels. These stories often signal love through protection, sacrifice, jealousy, devotion, and long-term loyalty rather than kisses or explicit confessions on screen.
If you are watching mainly for romance, check two things before choosing: whether the source novel is canon danmei, and whether you are comfortable with romantic subtext in the animated version. If you need clear couple confirmation quickly, the novels will usually satisfy you more than the adaptations.
Canon romance in the source novels
Heaven Official's Blessing, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, and Scumbag System all come from MXTX novels where the central male relationships are canon. That does not mean every adaptation shows the romance equally, but it does mean the pairing is part of the story's foundation rather than a fan-only reading.
Subtle romance in the donghua
Donghua adaptations often keep romance quiet. You may get a lingering look, an act of protection, or a charged line where a novel might give fuller emotional confirmation.
That can be satisfying if you enjoy slow-burn restraint, but frustrating if you want unmistakable romantic scenes. A practical approach is to watch the donghua for atmosphere and then read the novel if you want the relationship made clearer.
Plot-first romance
Most of these titles are fantasy stories first and romance stories through the plot. Battles, sect politics, exorcism cases, curses, and old grudges take real space, while the relationship develops inside those pressures.
- Best plot-romance balance: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.
- Most action-forward option: Legend of Exorcism.
- Most character-tension focused: Thousand Autumns.
Slow-burn relationships
Slow-burn is the main reason these titles work for Heaven Official's Blessing fans. The relationships usually grow through trust, separation, rescue, misunderstanding, and repeated choices rather than instant confession.
If you are a casual viewer looking for quick romantic payoff, this category can feel restrained. If you like noticing small changes in how characters speak, protect, and make room for each other, the slower pace is the reward.
More romance in the novels
The novels usually give more direct emotional and romantic payoff than the donghua. That is where you are more likely to find clearer confessions, deeper inner thoughts, and the full shape of the couple's relationship.
Conclusion
For the closest experience after Heaven Official's Blessing, choose Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation first, then branch out by mood: Thousand Autumns for complex tension, Legend of Exorcism for demons and magic, Dinghai Fusheng Records for historical adventure, and Scumbag System when you want something funnier. The main thing is to expect danmei-style slow burn rather than nonstop on-screen romance, because the strongest payoff is often split between the donghua's atmosphere and the novel's clearer relationship development.
