Arthur Chen as Sima Jiao cast an unforgettable spell on us!
This drama was truly enchanting! What an endearing romance this was ! The leads performed their roles beautifully and their story had such passion and endurance . I really love how Chen Feiyu portrayed Sima Jiao and his many colors so flawlessly. He was a complicated character to play and CFY brought it to the screen effortlessly. He is truly one of the best actors around. It was amazing how he embodied this role. We could feel every one of his emotions. He had also differentiated the different story arcs beautifully.The FL is someone whose works I will look forward to. She is a great actress and complemented the ML very well. Her comic timing was impeccable and LTY’s character growth was done very well. She again carried her character evolution very well through out the drama!
The leads’ love story was written extremely well written and the actors elevated it with their performances. The chemistry between the leads was mind blowing and that is essence was why this drama worked.
. I also loved Gao Han as the loyal snake - he again plays every role given to him well.
All in all a very satisfying XINXIA. I just wish we had one more episode of them in the modern world to provide closure .
The music for this drama is something that will be on my playlist . And I will definitely rewatch this one. Looking forward to more intense characters from Chen Feiyu! Have been a fan of him since L&P and this drama emphasizes his talent even further !
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A Beautiful Blend of Emotion and Fantasy
When Destiny Brings the Demon was a beautiful surprise. The drama balances emotion, fantasy, and human connection so well. The cast’s performances feel sincere, and their chemistry makes every scene engaging. I especially loved the atmosphere—the lighting, costumes, and soundtrack all worked together to create a world that felt alive. It’s the kind of drama that lingers with you even after the episode ends. Highly recommended if you enjoy heartfelt storytelling with a touch of the supernatural.This drama had both strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, the acting is strong, and the emotional depth between characters is believable. The visuals and music are also impressive. On the other hand, the pacing sometimes feels uneven—some episodes draw you in completely, while others move slower than necessary. While it’s not perfect, When Destiny Brings the Demon still delivers enough heart and intrigue to keep viewers invested.
"i hope everyone enjoy it"
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1Across every lifetime, my soul will always find yours!
It has been a while since I watched a xianxia, and this was a perfect choice to take me out my costume drama slump. I was entertained from start to finish. It had all the elements of a typical xianxia, but instead of repeating it note by note, it somehow exceeded my expectations with the usual setup. A grumpy immortal cursed by fate, sealed on top of the mountain, meets a modern-day office worker who accidentally gatecrashes into a mystical realm. This is equal parts romantic, tragic and humorous.✨ Character Sketch :
🔥 Sima Jiao: At first glance, he is this powerful, cold and revenge-hungry being who was buried alive for 500 years. He is called "Lord of Mercy", which I thought was a cruel joke, looking at his terrifying exterior, but then, as we went on, I started to sympathise and ultimately understand him and his actions. I don't blame his rage because imagine being trapped and isolated for so long, that is bound to mess anyone up.
For him, trust is dangerous, but once our frost fish navigated through that icy mask, we are introduced to a very soft, tired and lonely Sima Jiao.
What I really liked about his journey was how we were able to witness the growth step by step. It wasn't some 180 overnight turn. He was still slightly grumpy, sarcastic and broody guy we saw at the start, but also Sima Jiao, who can now express care, jealousy and finally break out of his shell and trust people.
🐟 Coming to our Frost fish, Liao Tingyan: She healed what she didn't break. She isn't your typical female lead. She is a chill, go with the flow person with a great sense of humour who was thrown into this mystical world and all she does is try to stay alive without losing her mind. And she is lazy! She doesn't care about power, scheming or fighting. All she wanted was to go on a vacation and chill. I liked how her character was unbothered about the materialistic things like fate or power. And when I say unbothered, I don't mean careless. Initially, she did come as a damsel in distress at times, but if I put into perspective that this cultivation world, full of immortals and demons with deep-rooted grudges, must be so new to her, it kind of softens that feeling.
Her relationship with Sima Jiao was definitely the highlight of this drama. I loved how she treated him as "human" and not some terrifying beast people portrayed him as. Sometimes she was an annoying roommate, sometimes the boss and eventually someone who calms him down. To understand that "normalness" is exactly what he needed. She was the sunshine in the storm and what our demon lord wanted and needed.
❤️ Chemistry between Tingyan and Jiao: Ohh, to be loved by Sima Jiao !! <3
The romance was absolutely top-tier here. I can find no flaws in it. I loved them together. It amazes me how Sima Jiao would scare everyone, but suddenly is such a soft and understanding person to Tingyan and would bend backwards to make her happy. And the passion...so intense. I liked how much balance they both bring together. She always kept him in check, and he somehow accepted her with all her quirks. The sweet banter, the tension and the unwavering devotion to each other made their romance so much better.
And the kisses...
In all the lifetimes, Jiao and Tingyan would never stop choosing each other.
✨ The drama has 3 arcs -
Immortal Realm Arc: Building it
Demon Realm Arc: Breaking it apart
Human Realm Arc: Rebuilding it
🤝 Immortal Realm Arc: The first arc where all the stage is set. This is the strongest and my favourite arc. The first 19 episodes had me in a chokehold. It had everything from humour to the ultimate journey of Sima Jiao being ruthless to lovesick.
🗯️ Demon Realm Arc: This is where all the real drama and angst began. We experience all the emotions here, from shock to grief to longing to vulnerability to some xianxia kind of action. This is where we see a new Tingyan who is now a part of this cultivation world. And a Sima Jiao who would go to any lengths to make her happy.
🥰 Human Realm Arc: This last arc of this drama, and somehow, the romance overpowered everything. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but I felt too much was happening in the last few episodes. Though all the ends are neatly tied, it felt a bit messy. We also got a very xianxia-coded ending, and I have no complaints.
✨ Supporting Characters :
🐍 Hei Nianju: My little loyal serpent companion was endearing from start to finish. I loved his bond with Sima Jiao, and I also liked how Sima Jiao treated him with respect. I really liked his character growth, except for his love line with Ruling.
🤷🏻♀️ Ye Ruling: She was a character I just couldn't like. In my opinion, she got off very easily. The whole lack of a redemption arc felt very partial. I kept waiting for little snake to bring that up, but as they say, love blinds people. She was okay in the second and third arc, but I couldn't bring myself to forgive her for the 1st arc.
💢 Shi Qianlu: Our main antagonist was truly despicable. He was every bit evil from start to finish and was definitely cunning. There are a few loopholes around how he gets things done (Eg: How did he find the FL before the ML, even after being injured to death). I also felt he overstayed his welcome. A little too much screen time was given to him.
😒 Fen Qi: He was the second male lead, and, except for bringing in the jealousy arc, he came off as stupid. What he called love was just a mere illusion of a person who doesn't exist. I didn't find him too compelling, but rather very obvious. I mean, I knew from the very start he would be swayed easily and cause unnecessary chaos.
😠 Sima Shi : I understand Sima Jiao's hostility towards me. I did understand him as leader but as a father , he failed big time. I really wished instead of him, we had interactions with Sima E instead. But the exchange with him brought a whole new development to the story, so I am not too mad about it but still...
✨ Acting: The leads were fabulous.
Arthur Chen was fabulous as Sima Jiao, especially in the emotional scenes where a lone tear stole all the show. He was the ultimate Sim Jioa. No ifs and buts. Wang Yin Lu as Tingyan was a refreshing and apt pick. She had great comic timing without making it feel too forced. The rest of the cast also brought their A-game. I have no major complaints in this department.
✨ Writing & Production: CGI definitely could have been better at times, but it wasn't distractingly bad. The costumes and make-up were beautiful throughout, except for the fish costume of Tingyan. I felt the makeup was a bit juvenile. Cinematography was beautiful, especially when they were in Soul Manor. The black and white costumes with vibrant background were definitely a bold and beautiful choice. The OSTs are beautiful too and complement the scenes so well.
Coming to writing, if you watch a lot of xianxia with a cultivation theme, you might find a few cliché tropes here. That being said, props to the writing for effortlessly blending the modern lingo. I loved this. (Touch the fish still makes me giggle.) The pacing does feel a bit slow in the middle, might frustrate you too, but I assure you it's all seemed worth it to me.
Overall, this drama isn't without flaws, but if you are someone who enjoys romance, this is a treat. It is chaotic but somehow very wholesome.
I would 100% recommend it. Not for the out-of-the-box premise because it isn't but for Sima Jiao's journey of choosing love when trauma has shaped you. For Liao Tingyan, to show you don't need to "fix" him but support and be there for them. And their beautiful relationship that surpasses the test of time and generations.
Thank you for reading my review! <3 I hope you enjoy the drama as much as I did.
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in every lifetime, I will find you & recognize you
The chemistry between the actors was off the charts. This had so much spicy scenes to feed me for days. Their bond and love for each other was so touching to me. The plot was a bit slow at first, then started to pick up fast. I wish we got more of the side couple and more scenes of them at the end. I need to find a man/woman devoted to me like they have. PLS PLS PLS PLS <3Was this review helpful to you?
Fate done right!
This is how you do lovers through lifetimes. This was quite epic in a lot of ways. I loved both main leads in this show. The chemistry was great. It was a beautiful love story, and that ending was just what this show needed. I enjoyed this series a lot and didn't want it to end. I usually hate amnesia trope but they were able to do it right (and about twice!) in this series.Was this review helpful to you?
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Just an all rounder!
I’ll be honest, When Destiny Brings the Demon was not a drama I expected much from. I wasn’t fully convinced by Arthur Chen’s acting and I only knew Wang Ying Lu from one project, so I came in with almost no expectations. But from the very first episodes, I was surprised at how quickly this drama pulled me in.I picked this up when it was already half way airing but binged it and ended up waiting for the next episodes.The real heart of the show is definitely the chemistry between Arthur Chen as the brooding, vengeful Sima Jiao and Wang Ying Lu as the easygoing, almost slacker-like Liao Tingyan. Every scene they had together was magnetic. I found myself giggling, smiling, and even getting butterflies just watching them interact. Their dynamic felt fresh and alive, making even the smallest moments between them feel special.
The pacing of the drama also impressed me. The story moved quickly and smoothly, never dragging or feeling weighed down by unnecessary filler. The only plot point I wasn’t fond of was the memory loss arc. It’s a trope that always feels a little tired, and here it didn’t add much for me. That said, I did like that even with her memories altered, Tingyan’s heart still recognized Sima Jiao. It didn’t take long for her to fall for him again, which made it feel less frustrating.
The supporting cast had good chemistry as well. Gao Han in particular, I adored. Having seen him recently play a villain in a drama alongside MZY and LXY, I half-expected his character to betray Sima Jiao here. But to my surprise, he stayed loyal and good throughout. It gave the story a nice balance, showing that not every side character has to hide a knife behind their back. He was so soft and such a puppy for a black serpent. LOL. Actress Wang Yi Ting did well too. Her character was well written in the beginning. She was someone kind and goal driven even though some action may have been selfish. But then, her character fell flat for me after she was brought back from dying. It was as if her character had no importance, just there as a friend to hangout with Tingyan or even just a decoration for Tingyan when Sima Jiao isn't around. I would've love to see her charcter more active in the second half. But overall, her chemistry with Gao Han was cute and filled with innocence compared to WYL and AC whose chemistry was more intense and passionate.
The ending was bittersweet for me. I had wished to for them to embrace one another recognizing each other but their meeting will do it for me. I believe that they're fated for one another and bound to fall in love over and over again, doesn't matter what timeline, what their name is, they'll always find each other.
Overall this was a 10/10 watch for me. From plot to chemistry, to acting and music and cgi effects, I love every aspect of it. I'd watch this again.
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My precious
I watched it because I saw a clip, which reminded me of LBFD. I was *what?are they imitating it? It looks cheaper*.So I gave it a try. And as a lot of viewers I was smitten.
-I like both leads.I think they are talanted enough.
-I liked the salty fish thing.Refreshing.
-It is 33 eps but first 24 fly by .Then til 30 is the hard times. 31-33 they get to wrap things.
I was suspicious because dramaland often is serving pretty but tasteless dishes. Good ideas, poorly executed.
But this show suprised me. It was light, it was funny(not cringy fun), it was heartfelt.
It is a happy end. Maybe better than LBFD and LGEF. It could be better but...
People are talking about 2 season but is too soon. Maybe as the trend goes - a new drama with same leads in a modern times.
I don`t think is retelling or copying LBFD. I suspect someone maybe tried to learn form major hits. I think it would be smart thing to do,especially if it is smartly executed.
I was suprised by the Romance.It is a well done, a superb chemistry and a lot of tastefull skinship. Is it a c drama? Wow.I feel cheated by other dramas. Why are you sleeping instead of doing something like that? If you are making a romance story do it properly.That includes choosing the right actors. Most viewers do not expect some ultra explicit scenes. I understand that some actors are not comfortable in those kind of roles. But Romance genre is what it is.
There are so many moments which will stay with me .They make this drama rewatchable.
I love their first/last meet. I loved the otter thing. I liked how they made him competent and capable for the most part.A lot of times after some eps they make the ML completly helpless. I know why but still. At least do not prolong it. Here when he was a human, she was there to ptotect him. A lot of times the vilains are always one step ahead. Here I think its the good guys a step ahead.
I could find problems with the show but it is nothing major.
I saw people liking the costumes.I though that some were OK but others were bad.They combined reds and blues and very few were likable.I liked his early clothes - dark and mostly plain. The red ones sometimes were clashing either with undrelaying ones or with each other colours. I dont know for sure .Am I the problem or am I right?
Compared to LBFAD it looks cheaper. But WDBTD is beating LBFAD in the romance and skinship . Way more than LB...
I am unsatisfied with dramaland oferings these days so I almost missed this gem.
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A Great Xianxia Poetry!
Shock! Delight! And terrible regret! Regret that I had to part with this wonderful xianxia poetry. And I really didn't want to!Sometimes you look at a book - a strange cover and an even more ridiculous title, you don't know the author. But out of boredom you take it from the shelf, sit down in a chair and begin a simple reading, thinking that a cheerful, slightly silly novel awaits you, just right to while away an evening with tea. With approximately these feelings I began watching "Offering of Salted Fish to the Master". Expectations - zero. But how wrong I was...
Under the colorful tinsel and bright colors, a real journey awaited me. A journey into a wonderful, sometimes funny, more often sad xianxia ballad about great love, capable of everything: changing and warming a crippled soul, overcoming space and time, separation and finally death itself.
The image of the Great Master, Sima Jiao, is grandiose and majestic. He was born for a great purpose, his enemies were the strongest immortals and Heaven itself, he carried within himself a great blessing and at the same time a terrible curse. And with this burden, Sima Jiao languished in prison for 500 years. He has long forgotten what simple, sincere feelings are, he does not know such a concept as pity for enemies and compassion. Time and circumstances have hardened his heart to the extreme, making him suspicious and gloomy.
But when Liao Tingyan appears in his life, everything changes radically...
And then the real magic begins. Thanks to the amazing chemistry between the actors, the talent of the screenwriter and director, we see how the most ordinary, banal plot turns into a cinematic masterpiece.
Chen Fei Yu's incredible performance gave the character of Sima Jiao that greatness, that power and depth that made your heart skip a beat. Goosebumps from the Great Master!
Wang Ying Lu also surprised me a lot! How she plays! As if she lives. As if a beautiful, immortal, all-consuming love for Sima Jiao really blossomed in her soul, like a beautiful lotus flower. And what a magnificent development her character received. At the beginning of the drama, funny, a little awkward, but so sincere and open Liao Tingyan changes as the plot progresses, becoming more and more self-confident, and in the end acquiring greatness equal to her powerful lover.
The plot develops interestingly and logically. There is not a single empty episode, not a single stupid or unnecessary dialogue. All 33 episodes the viewer's attention is literally riveted to what is happening on the screen.
I definitely recommend watching the drama! Personally, it evoked so many thoughts in me, so many important questions were raised here. But above all, it is a story about a beautiful and eternal love through time and space
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One of my absolute favorites!!
If I were to grab a shovel and try to dig up some flaws with this show, sure I may dig up a few pebbles. Was the plot repetitive? Sure. Sima Jiao was the shit. Everyone either wanted to imprison him, harvest his special blood or kill him because he consistently overpowers and outsmarts all of you lesser bitches. That’s basically the plot. Was the ending a little rushed? Sure. Do I wish we had a few more episodes in the mortal world and in the modern world? Absolutely (also who wouldn’t???). Was there some issues with pacing sometimes? Yeah, okay.But the strengths of this show far, far outweigh any issues that snobby critics may come with. This main couple quickly rose in ranks to my top 1-3 favorite romances of all Asian shows I have ever watched (and I watch a lot). Their chemistry, the complementary nature of their personalities and the sheer amount of screen time they had together - all created this ultimate powerhouse of a couple. We were blessed with SO MANY sensual kisses, intimate touches, poetic dialogue, soulful gazes, powerful teamwork and open communication. No serious love triangles, no annoying incidences of noble idiocrisy or dragged out miscommunication. Conflict was resolved quickly, the amnesia subplots moved forward at a good pace with lovely soulful angst thanks to the writing and acting. It’s a total feast for us lovers of romance.
The ML also became one of my most favorite MLs of all time as well. Arthur Chen’s portrayal of Sima Jiao was flawless. His ability to just emote SO MUCH emotion through his eyes and through his intimate touches had me feeling all of the feels right alongside him. His ability to seamlessly shift from a dark, cold, ruthless, vindictive and wrathful god into a traumatized, tender, sensual, smiley, cute, vulnerable and enamored man in love with the FL showcased Arthur’s incredible range of abilities. Sima Jiao was beautifully complex. He was able to shed a single tear with the FL in one moment and completely annihilate anyone who threatened them in the next moment coldly and without batting an eye. The best part about all of this is that although Sima Jiao got fantastic character development he never lost the parts of himself that we loved the most. He never lost his dark edge, his powerful aura or his stoic exterior (except when he’s with our FL, of course). He remains delightfully consistent throughout the show in spite of the growth.
And our FL is the perfect balance to his personality. The yang to his yin. Carefree, nonjudgmental, empathetic, unassuming, easy-going, go with the flow type of gal. Although she sometimes disagreed with the ML’s methods or asked him not to do certain things, she never tried to change him. She never had a judgmental attitude toward his edgy darkness, but rather grew to understand that it was rooted in 500 years of physical torture and torment, trauma, and sadistic generational oppression against his kind. Her light brought out his innate goodness, and his dark edge also allowed her to connect with those parts of herself as well. And although sometimes I think her refusal to kill others was taken too far at times (seriously, they oppressed and tortured our ML since birth, did some other horrendous shit and will literally kill you now if you don’t kill them first), she did get some good development as well as the story progressed without losing her essence.
What I also loved about this drama was the development of the three major arcs throughout the show. The ML was the unstoppable, always-saving badass while she was developing her skills in the first arc, the second arc brought them to more of an equal footing in power, and in the final arc the roles were reversed and she protected him and held the power. In a parallel way, the first arc was about the main leads developing the foundation of their love for each other together, the second arc was all about the ML lovingly pursuing the FL, and then we got to see her chase after him for a bit in the final arc. We got it all, guys. This show was wonderful. I think it will be a while before I get hooked on another story in the way that this one captivated me.
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Underrated masterpiece
I was looking for another Chinese Drama after finishing Revenged Love. I know Arthur Chen but never watch any of his work, and female lead is totally a fresh face for me, at first i was hesitated to watch because i didn't like(?) how she looks, but i'm very glad i still went ahead and started watching it, AND NOW i'm a fan of both of them. Wang YingLu's acting is just so cheeky and cute, but it's not those unbearable pick-me kinda cute, I personally just love her acting throughout all the ep, no matter it's a happy, sad, emotional, heart-warming scene, it made me cried so hard.Though this drama have a dimension-travel/isekai theme, but it doesn't have too much mention of the modern world, just a few use of modern language, which made it even more cute. If you understand the difference of Ancient language and modern language, you'll definitely find it 100x cuter than if you don't , but don't be too alarmed about this, if you don't understand chinese/mandarin, just with the subtitles and their acting/expression I'm sure you'll enjoy this just as much.
I'm not someone that rewatch any show/drama ever, so i won't be rewatching it but it definitely left a deep impression on me especially both of the main lead
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Interesting story of Jiao-Liao couple!!
When destiny brings the demon, Imho, is a complete package. The story line is pretty interesting with a male lead who is super powerful and the last surviving heir of their clan, who crosses paths with a weak(powers wise) yet innocent and naive female lead who is transported to the world of Sima Jiao.The plot, though slows down in some episodes, but keeps you intrigued for the next episodes. I felt that the plot could be much more serious with less dragging moments, but anyways it is quite watchable.
Chen Feiyu as Sima Jiao did an amazing job. From being domineering and powerful to showcasing his loving, caring and gentler side, he has really outshined in every moment. His costumes were also very good👍
Wang Yinglu was a pleasant surprise for me. Her acting and costumes were good.
All the other cast did excellent work in portraying their roles.
The costumes, cgi, action scenes, were excellent.
I loved the immortal arc more, to be precisebut the remaining 2 are also worth watching.
Finally, a good xianxia drama that will definitely entertain you and keep you glued to your seats. 👍👌
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A Rare Xianxia Treasure
I want to share my review of my favorite C-drama. The story is very much character-driven. For example, Sima Jiao transforms from someone who doesn’t care about others—who even thinks about killing and wishes to die—into someone who finally wants to live, all because of her. On the other hand, the female lead, who never wanted to harm anyone, learns to stand her ground and defend herself.Some say the plot isn’t that strong, but I completely disagree. To me, the storyline is powerful because it shows how love can transcend timelines. The so-called “minor plots” actually make the main romance even stronger. What I loved most is how the couple actually talked through their misunderstandings—something rare in xianxia dramas. As a xianxia fan, I’m used to endless angst, blood vomiting, and miscommunications. But this drama gave me something different: pure, genuine love.
Both leads fully embodied their roles and delivered romance so beautifully. It was the main couple that captured my heart the most. It’s rare to see this kind of love in xianxia, and I adored how the male lead was always one step ahead, never easily manipulated. He truly chose the girl over the world—a refreshing change compared to many others.
This drama will always hold a very special place in my heart.
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