When Destiny Brings the Demon

A Total Fan Service! Great pacing & storyline spoiled by FL's rigid morals | Cloying make out scenes

"Every lonely journey ends in a fated encounter." - Postscripts/Ending Quotes

PRO TIP: Try to be EXTRA patient and bear with the FL's behavior during episodes 10–20. if you can get through that, you'll be fine.

I eagerly want to start this review by talking about the FL, since the majority of my negative feedback is focused on her. However, I was afraid I might drift away from sharing the narrative's positive sides and get carried away by all the negative aspects. So, let me commence this review by highlighting the strengths and redeeming qualities of the show first.

The pacing and progression of the story were excellent. The narrative is fast-paced and doesn't dwell too long on a single plot point. It moves from one arc to another without going in circles or overly dramatizing conflicts to force a desired result. This helps the story move forward effortlessly without leaving plot holes behind. It also makes the story more coherent and entertaining, preventing it from dragging—even if it was admittedly frustrating for a couple of reasons.

In addition, each plot was compact and well-crafted that after the first ten episodes, it completely slipped my mind that Liao Tingyan was from the modern world. This was the story's ultimate strength, defining its value until the very end.

The story moved at a steady pace during the first 10 episodes; however, it fumbled significantly between episodes 11 and 20 by overemphasizing the female lead's rigid morals. This was the most difficult part of the show to sit through. Fortunately, it regained its momentum from episode 21 onward, recovering from that grating phase to become exciting once again.

One piece of advice I’d give is: do not let yourself carry the irritation or resentment you have for the FL once you cross the halfway mark. Doing so can cloud your judgment regarding the trajectory of her character progression. I'm saying this because I was exactly like that. I immediately judged the FL when the second half started, assuming it would be another tiring "amnesia leads to manipulation" trope. At that time, I thought it was regrettable to see her change from a clever, funny lead to someone so easily schemed against. But as the story unfolded, I realized the amnesia was actually a catalyst. It forced her to adopt the mindsets she’d previously resisted or lacked. By using a well-worn cliché, the writers managed to deliver the exact character evolution the story needed.

Talking about the climax: I initially found the sudden shift to the mortal realm an unusually odd decision, at least until I witnessed how the plot developed. I guess I was just stunned that they had the nerve to go 'Sima Jiao' hunting while still having a final villain to deal with. However, that sense of conflict and discontent eventually diminished once I understood that the entire Mortal Arc had been prearranged by Sima Jiao—even before he perished—to subdue and defeat the main antagonist.

The ending, on the other hand, is equally delightful and baffling. While it nails the main antagonist's downfall and provides a satisfying "happy ending" as the leads meet in the real world, the reason behind her journey to that cultivation world remains unexplained. After her accident, she suddenly begins "dream traveling" into this fantasy realm while in a coma, yet the story never establishes a clear cause. I suspect it relates to the project proposal she was working on, but the narrative fails to explore or confirm that connection. This sadly remains a riddle, even after finishing the show.

Additionally, I find the symbolism and depiction of corporate serfdom, burnout culture, and hyper-capitalistic exploitation to be both alarming and commendable. In this story, the female lead, Zhou Yan, has literally just been discharged from the hospital, yet she has to rush to her company to respond to her boss's summons regarding a proposal she failed to submit due to her accident. What is even more disturbing is how their conversation centers entirely on work—focusing on her failure to submit the proposal and a "make-or-break" ultimatum for her career—while completely ignoring the fact that she is clearly injured and bandaged.

While the creators’ inclusion of this reality is significant—as it accurately represents the grind ordinary citizens must endure to survive, even in life-threatening predicaments—it is truly abhorrent to witness this reflection of our own world. We live in a reality where corporate slavery and the transformation of a person into an "industrial human machine" are being normalized, which is both saddening and maddening.

Finally venturing into the 'negative rant' portion of my review. Shall we start with the biggest issue I had with the show: the female lead herself?

I was relatively fine with the female lead's (Liao Tingyan) slacker, vigilant, yet witty attitude—until I noticed two distinct changes that increasingly made me dislike her. First, when she finally earned Sima Jiao's trust, she gradually started voicing her opinions and doing whatever she thought was right without thoroughly considering the overall situation or consulting Sima Jiao. Second, she is slowly turning into a "know-it-all," complacent girl who prioritizes feelings and kindness—even toward individuals who wouldn't think twice about killing her and have every intention to do so. This shift has led her in the wrong direction and caused nothing but negative outcomes. While I understand she isn't used to such brutality, I find it unbelievable that she fails to grasp Sima Jiao's intentions. She is trying to survive a world where "kill or be killed" is the rule, so I can't stomach or comprehend her convictions and principles. Even if I technically understand her perspective, it feels incredibly unwise and, frankly, dumb. That’s why I was beaming with satisfaction during the Desolate Lands arc when Yan Huan tried to kill himself and his daughter, Zhou Zhi Ming. It was such a wake-up call for her—a reminder that she can’t just look at the "morally correct" side of life. She also has to look at the darkest side to understand the real struggles and bottom-line issues of the people around her.

Spoiler: I really thought she’d come to a realization and learn something from this, but unfortunately, she didn't! Grr!

What’s funny is that she knows she’s weak, yet she still won’t take extra precautions or train harder. She’s a slacker, and I love that she’s fully committed to it. However, it contradicts her desire to stay alive. Since being known as Sima Jiao’s most favored servant is basically a death warrant—a literal invitation for people to kill her. I really can’t comprehend how she lack the sense of urgency to sharpen her skills or master enough magic to defend herself.

She was such a total liability during the entire first half of the story that I got so fed up and pissed off watching her survive, every time, solely because of Sima Jiao's protection. She became fully reliant and complacent, tending to overlook a lot of things due to her carelessness and simple-mindedness. It was frustrating how she practically needed saving 99.99% of the time, when she could've been more powerful due to the 'cheat code' power-ups Sima Jiao had granted her.

In fact, halfway through the show, I became so irritated with Sima Jiao’s mantra about not letting her die unless he allowed it. Honestly, one big reason she stayed useless and incapable was because he pampered her so badly. Good grief!

As I grow older, I’ve realized that while sacrifice is noble, it’s often a foolish choice. This is why I’ve started avoiding Xianxia dramas over the last few years. I've grown tired of them being infested with constant sacrifices and multiple lifetime reincarnations, especially after consuming so many of them over the years.

Lastly, all the kissing and sensual scenes are nice and romantic at first. However, this show overdid it to the point of indifference and disbelief. Such scenes should have been greatly anticipated and celebrated, but the frequency and intensity with which they were presented were way too excessive. The romantic essence gradually dissipated after the 3rd time and completely vanished from the 5th time onwards. I am a person who typically enjoys such erotic scenes; however, due to the ludicrous number of times they showed them to us, they have become completely bland and even an eyesore to me. It transformed from a symbol of affection into "soft-porn" used to showcase the main leads making out and touching each other pleasurably.

In conclusion, 'Partnership Cultivation' is entirely synonymous with sexual or erotic scenes. While the authors were clever in utilizing the 'her coldness eases my burning fire' trope, they ultimately went overboard with it.

In Episode 28, at around the 40 minutes mark, it’s implicitly confirmed that the leads entering each other's 'Soul Minds' is a metaphor for sex. What absurdity! lol

Story - 8.0, My conscience wanted me to provide a rating at least 0.5 higher in consideration of the progressive plot and nice pacing. However, my mind opposes this due to the indifference and frustration I felt during episodes 11–20, the totally unnecessary kissing scenes, and the fact that the reason for the transmigration was never fully addressed.

Acting/Cast - 9.0, This is my first drama from both leads (Arthur Chen and Wang Yinglu) and they executed their roles well. However, I'm just not a fan of the FL's characterization, which turned me into a total critic. I was hyper-sensitive to her every movement, making some of her expressions feel exaggerated. Another person I scrutinized with an eagle eye was veteran actor Bao Jian Feng. His ingratiating acting style put me off, reminding me of his performance in LLTG. The difference is that his character here forced too many smiles while trying to depict a duplicitous person, which I found awkward and unnatural most of the time. I don't know why I was so sensitive to facial expressions with this show! lol

Music - 9.5, I love that the majority of the songs are melodic ballads. My personal favorites are 'In This World, I Only Love You' by Tia Ray and 'Old Wounds' by Huang Xiaoyun. I was actually about to give this a lower rating, but after listening to the drama's OST playlist on Spotify, I realized I almost did this show a total injustice!

Rewatch Value - 8.0, While I like certain elements of this drama, specifically the plot progression, pacing, and how it uses a cliché premise to facilitate the FL’s growth. I just don't see myself watching it again. The FL is simply not my cup of tea; I have outgrown the 'willful and rigid' female lead trope common in idol dramas, and she embodies that to a fault. Furthermore, the excessive skinship felt repetitive; by the fifth time, the sensual scenes lost their impact entirely.

Overall - 8.0, Had the FL's characterization not spoiled the mood and nearly caused me to drop the show, I would have given it a higher rating. That single aspect permanently tarnished the series for me. Regardless, I'm glad I stuck with it instead of dropping it like many others did.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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THOUGHTS!

When Destiny Brings the Demon

The thing I love most about all of these fantasy dramas is the use of magic, yes. But, the setting, the outfits, and the whole world building is so beautiful. It’s actually so majestic how the cinematography completely raises this drama to the next level.

I love love love the music, setting, and costumes in this drama. Especially at the end with Tingyan in that red feathery outfit, that was so cool. The setting is also beautiful and the outfits of Sima Jiao was also really pretty in terms of a male costume. I loved the environment and surrounding of his old house with all the different architectural elements.

I always feel bad for those characters that experience childhood trauma or have like something where they are forced to deal with it from childhood on. So, even though Sima Jiao was supposed to be painted to be ruthless, I felt really sympathetic for him. He had so much pain to go through when he was a child and he finally found one person who can at least calm the pain. I like the dynmaic between Sima Jiao and Liao Ting Yan. It’s lke Liao Ting Yan is one of the most innocent people who don’t know anything about this world, while Sima Jiao has lost trust in humanity so he questions everything. He still helps her though. He spares her life multiple times, cures her poison, and treats her differently. I also love the snake in this drama, it’s like one of those pets that make things funny.

There was so much tension in that scene where Sima Jiao realized that Liao Ting Yan can help him ease the pain from the Spirit Fire and pulled her close so that they were touching forehead to forehead. I also love how Sima Jiao is giving Liao Ting Yan the chance to prove herself. When she was going against those two girls at the mountain, he waited to make sure she was ok but also gave her the chance to fight back on her own. Then, when she couldn’t, he helped her.

Sima Jiao has so much aura bro in that fight against the elders in episode 5. He has so much power that is contained, even when he is at his weakest. I also love how he is putting so much trust in Ting Yan even if he doesn’t realize it, letting her go on all the adventures with him. When he was carrying her, I could picture them 2 ruling the world together. Not only that, but the intimate look with him repeating “if I don’t let you die, you won’t die.” That’s such a protective and reassuring sentence to me, even if it’s meant to be threatening.

AHHH..We got our first reveal of Sima Jiao’s feelings. “I cherish you so much that I don’t want you to be harmed in the slightest.” Anyone with eyes can see that everything he’s doing with Tingyan is to protect her and make sure her life is good, happy, and prosperous. Especially given his track record with handling other people, he is completely different with Tingyan.

Episodes 12 and 13 really showed their devotion to each other. Sima Jiao knew that Tingyan wanted to live and if he sacrificed himself, she would die too. He replayed that conversation where she said she just wanted to live a carefree life. Then, he decided to choose her and use everything in his power to make her live. She also showed so much loyalty and devotion by staying with Sima Jiao. He gave her the choices to kill him, leave, or run but she picked none of the above.

Wow, Sima Jiao defied literal heaven and the universe to save Tingyan. He took that lightning and completely smashed it to pieces. Tingyan wouldn’t have been able to handle it otherwise. Sima Jiao is truly the most powerful immortal no questions asked. Now, he even has Tingyan to stand by his side and defy the universe and thunder together.

Ok, I really do not like the whole memory lost/amnesia trope that a lot of these fantasy dramas have. It just demotivates me from watching because they have to basically rebuild their relationship again. However, in this drama, I actually did not mind it because it showed a side of Sima Jiao that people wouldn’t expect. I love love love how he didn’t force her to reveal anything and he promised her he wouldn’t use his mind tricks on her. Furthermore, he even went as to always keep on protecting her even when she is meant to kill him because she thinks they are enemies. Like, this whole amnesia/reborn trope really shows you how deep and genuine Sima Jiao’s love is for Tingyan.

When Sima Jiao was willing to give up his life so that Tingyan could live and get rid of her demon core, his convo with Nian Jiu was heartbreaking. Nian Jiu breaking down and hugging Sima Jiao with Sima Jiao’s shaky hands comforting him. Then Sima Jiao saying “If she lives, I live.” Basically, saying that she will carry his name and honor with her. But if she doesn’t live, he can’t either.

Ok, this drama is extremely captivating and interesting but I’ve gotta say, it is also pretty hard to follow. There are so many different plot points and almost plot twists that the screenwriter laid out that it is almost too hard to follow at times. Like that last plot point where Sima Jiao wasn’t actually dead and his spirit is in the mortal realm, like that was a reintroduction of like everything we knew and that happened in the last like 3 episodes. So, sometimes, this drama is too messy and includes too much stuff that it is hard to keep up with. Also, I’m going to say again, I don’t like any like amnesia/forgotten memory trope because you’re basically starting at ground 0.

At the very end, how Sima Jiao regains his memory is very um anti-climatic is what I would say. Just a spell cast on a hat. However, I did really like their last scene together in the fantasy world. The working together and Tingyan completing her “mission” was a good revolution. I knew that the classic reuniting in the modern world was going to happen but I wish we got more. We didn’t even see if her proposal was accepted or even heard and we never got that part where “Sima Jiao” realizes who she is, so we never know if he remembers the “dream” either. Idk, I wish the ending was a little bit longer and we just got to see more of their story because that would make the ending feel more complete.

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Good soundtracks

Those who once enjoyed Love Between Fairy and Devil will likely find this drama appealing, as the storyline is quite similar. Both feature a charismatic, all-powerful male lead and a lazy, somewhat silly female lead.

It’s also understandable why the drama didn’t gain much popularity, even though the original novel was said to rank among the top in China. This type of storyline feels outdated. Viewers who prefer something simple, romance-focused, and not too deep will probably enjoy When Destiny Brings the Demon.

However, the weakness lies in the supporting cast. Just like in Love Between Fairy and Devil, the side characters are rather underwhelming. In fact, this drama handles them even worse — they lack depth and almost feel like NPCs whose sole purpose is to push the plot forward. At times, their actions come across as foolish and lacking any sense of humanity.

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Struggled at the end!

I absolutely loved the initial romance arc, the slacker and grumpy demon dynamic was so fun to watch!

I dropped it for a while and came back to it and still struggled a bit by the end. The miscommunications stated to really annoy me, or at least both not telling the other their plans to sacrifice themselves again and again!

I really wanted them to have more time together, there was just never no drama happening, I felt bad for them because every time things improved, it got completely wrecked again. I get that the emphasis is on how their love transcends time and they find each other in any life, but I guess I wanted to see more of them happy. it was very stop start, one forgets the other, then the other forgets them, I just couldn’t take the emotional turmoil anymore!

I loved the casting, sound track and acting though and enjoyed it a lot, I just needed them to stop having such a bad time!

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EVERY SOLITARY JOURNEY ENDS WITH A MEETING ORDERED BY DESTINY

He is fire, she is ice, lifelong companions in 3 Kingdoms.
This child, whose blood is contested, is confined to a mountain for 500 years. Many girls approach him, intent on taking his life, but only this new and unsuspecting girl will win him over with her sincerity. Thus she will begin to be his servant and, with time and trust, even his beloved.
What a bad thing, all this blood, extracted from innocents, just to fuel the flame of the Spiritual Fire!
Until episode 19, when he melts the second Spiritual Fire and destroys half the Kingdom, leaving no trace of Her.
Ep 19: Demonic Kingdom vs. Immortals, 18 years after Her disappearance, He awakens.
From episode 20, the atmosphere changes. From hot to cold, from love to hate, from "well-being" to "survival"—it seems like a different story.
He can't accept that he can't find her anymore and goes looking for her even in the Demon Realm, where she, having lost her memory, lives as the daughter of the enemy who urges her to kill the Him she once loved.
He finds her, but she tries to kill him because she doesn't remember him. He is so kind to her that she changes her mind and wants to spare him but still stay with her "father."
She will unwittingly kill him and he will be reborn into the mortal world, and that's another story.
Resume of 3 parts: one in the Realm of the Immortals (they fall in love), the second in the Demon Realm (she loses her memory and he goes looking for her), and the third in the Mortal Realm (he doesn't remember her).
In all 3, people always want to kill him to have his blood!
Luckily they will have the chance to meet again in the Modern world.

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so many kisses...!

I actually started to watch this drama only as a 'filler', but somehow it got me so hooked that I finished it whole in a few days... Is my 2nd time seeing Arthur Chen on screen - I had so many attempts on his "Lighter & Princess", but I struggled with it so much and dropped it in the end, so only this drama showed me his real potential!
Sima Jiao really is sth else, I loved him so much during immortal arc, he so badass there! Sadly, I felt that in later arcs his character lost some claws, but can't say I hated it, it was still enjoyable. FL on the other hand is nice character, I liked her, but it's not really strong heroine, just cute little slacker who most of the time spends waiting to be rescued by ML (even when she is suppose to be stronger in later arcs), but the thing I liked the most about her was her boldness towards Sima Jiao - seeing her making moves on him was a rly nice change compared to many other cdramas where FL usually are kinda shy and ML is the one to initiate everything.
I think chemistry between actor was very good and damn, all these kissing scenes! We were really fed there, I even blushed a little watching some of their intimate moments which it's not sth common for me, lol.
The story was best in immortal arc, and this one is actually my fav one, but later on it started to went downhill only to end with this really unticlimatic ending - i really hate it, it almost ruined my whole experiance, but regarding all great moments before I just pretend it ended differently...
Villains were rather weak, I felt that their screen time was overdragged and was fed up with them at some point.
Side characters were just there, nothing really memorable, I only cared about The Black Serpent, but his potential was rather wasted and his romance arc really lacking, nonetheless I hope to see this actor in some other drama.
Overall - story is medicore, but I really enjoyed the romance part and chemistry between main leads, so if you looking for some romance and dont mind some other flaws, go and watch it!

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the love story was the main character haha

The romance worked so well that it makes me want to be kinder to the show than it deserves haha.

One thing I really noticed was that death doesn't have consistent emotional weight, sometimes it's devastating, world ending tragedy and sometimes it's a mild inconvenience or plot device. There is a lack of emotional consistency. Side characters - Nianjiu/the snake, at first I was like ok, a non-human learning to be human, that's the reason he is so awkward, but it never improved/evolved, or at least I didn't feel that he did.

I really dislike that the ending is told from the start, it kills suspense and turns the drama into a waiting game for me. And omg the end, she experiences the trauma of three lifetimes and is ready to go back to work and remembers what she has to present? makes her experience less impactful.

Anyway, the love story is for sure the best of this, the female lead is modern, but not obnoxious, a strong character (but not preachy) and I loved how she accepted moral complexity (the ''you do what you must'' with the male lead).
The male lead was such a feared, tortured, emotionally articulate, but a softie inside haha, I loved it. The romance is genuinely gooood.

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Love, so great, they'll always end up together.

[ when destiny brought to Sima Jiao the demon who will save him ]

I was wondering how to talk about this drama, after finishing it, I felt empty.. like something was missing..
Until I came across the final message, and it all made sense!

But still, is there any words worth of describing this unforgettable love?

Sima Jiao, and Liao Tingyan.. two people who aren't supposed to exist in that world, one is a powerful lord and the other is a demon sent to kill him, but together they are just lovers tending to each other's wounds and trying to live comfortably..
[ and no, it wasn't a dream, she just remembered her past life, and now reunited with him again in the modern world ]

tbh, I wasn't a fan of the novel before the first 10 episodes, and I tuned in just for the female lead Wang Yinglu, so I dived in without any high expectations, just satisfied with the cast.. but I got curious, so I read the og source, and I have to say that every change they made was right, enriching the plot and making their love story more special as "eternal soulmates who'll always find each other in seas of people and worlds", considering the side stories of them in different universes (ABO, vampire, ..).

On a side note, I've never seen a freakier couple than them XD completely unable of keeping their hands to themselves, kissing every two breaths, holding hands like it's their survival quest ~ and it felt so natural like there was no cameras and we're just insects in the room lol..

I love Tingyan, she so effortlessly funny and so relatable, no wonder a man like Sima Jiao is smitten by her in every timeline and universe.. no wonder she is as well..

ah.. I really don't want say goodbye to them, it's been a day already but I can't stop thinking about this silly sunshine and her childish OP suicidal sunshine protector who gave up dying just to provide her the lazy people heaven.. but goodbyes are a must, and I am mature enough to not demand a second season (that's a lie), so I'll just leave a short message for future viewers..

Live Laugh Love When Destiny Brings The Demon.

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MUST WATCH IF YOU LIKE INTIMATE MOMENTS!!!

Finally!!! A drama with lots of intimate kissing scenes starting quite early (around episode 10+ I think, which is still early compared to most dramas 😂). And thankfully, no major misunderstandings.

The best part for me was definitely the male lead. He was VERY strong — giving that powerful CEO vibe mixed with supernatural abilities and a “there’s nothing I can’t do” aura. I know many Chinese dramas have strong MLs, but this one stayed strong even after going through so many things. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

P.S. I also really liked his smile. It looked so sweet on his face 🥺

But honestly, there were still some flaws that made me a little sad. Like when the FL disappeared for good twice. The first time, "I felt the grief of losing a lover" wasn’t shown enough. Maybe because the ML believed he could still find her again through three lifetimes? Still, you could see a little sadness and tears from him.

The second time felt even more rushed because the story suddenly moved to the modern world without showing what happened to the ML in the wuxia world. Even the ML’s death scene could’ve been done better since it happened too fast, so as viewers we didn’t really get enough time to feel the heartbreak. The ending also felt rushed because of the sudden transition to the modern storyline.

But overall, I still really enjoyed the story. So for me, it’s a 9/10.

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