When Destiny Brings The Demon Episode 26 Recap
> When Destiny Brings The Demon Recap
The night began peacefully, with Liao Tingyan and Sima Jiao in the water, though Liao Tingyan felt unusually cold. Sima Jiao noticed her discomfort and a strange pulse, concerning him about the strong cold energy within her. Elsewhere in the garden, Nianjiu tried to win over Ye Ruling, who, due to her lost memories, repeatedly told him, "forcing a melon off the vine never tastes sweet."
Nianjiu playfully offered her a fruit he had "forcibly picked," claiming its sweetness, which Ye Ruling conceded but still refused his advances. During this time, Nianjiu and Ye Ruling observed a disciple preparing flowers for Liao Tingyan, and Liao Tingyan's senior brother, Su Changqing, scolding the disciple for not tidying them properly according to protocol. Nianjiu, accustomed to Liao Tingyan's unpretentious nature, found this insistence on meticulous flower arrangement suspicious.
The next morning, Liao Tingyan still felt cold and mentioned to Sima Jiao that Feng Qi had spoken strange things, hinting she had been to this place before. Sima Jiao, already wary of Liao Tingyan’s escalating coldness, which he suspected was not accidental, wanted to use a Truth Spell on Feng Qi. However, Liao Tingyan urged him not to, fearing another conflict between them, and offered to question Feng Qi herself.
Instead, Sima Jiao tasked Nianjiu with discreetly investigating the flowers, explaining that while a Truth Spell reveals what people know, it is not without flaws. Nianjiu returned to the garden and discovered that the seemingly ordinary flowers were, in fact, miasma maintained by spiritual power. This confirmed his earlier suspicion that something was wrong with the plants. Meanwhile, Feng Qi led Liao Tingyan to a waterfall. He earnestly asked if she remembered saving him when she was a Frost Fish.
Liao Tingyan, unable to recall such memories, insisted he had mistaken her for someone else and urged him not to be so fixated. Heartbroken, Feng Qi questioned why she desired to recover memories with Sima Jiao but not those with him. Liao Tingyan clarified that the person he sought had likely vanished long ago, allowing her to be who she was now, and those specific memories would never be hers.
Nianjiu reported his findings about the miasma to Sima Jiao, while Liao Tingyan simultaneously recounted Feng Qi’s perplexing claims. Sima Jiao instantly grew alert. He realized they were not in the true Grain Rain Vale, but an elaborate illusion created by Shi Qianlv. The lush greenery and vibrant flowers were nothing but transformed miasma. Their true location was the White Bone Abyss, the treacherous heart of the Demon Realm, surrounded by piercing cold.
Sima Jiao recalled sensing the coldness from Liao Tingyan after the banquet food, and his own increasing discomfort since arriving, realizing the cold energy from Liao Tingyan was being channeled through the protective anklet he had given her, diminishing his powers. Taking advantage of Sima Jiao's conversation with Nianjiu, Feng Qi pulled Liao Tingyan aside. He deceptively told her that Sima Jiao’s worsening condition was due to the anklet, which was made from Sima Jiao's heart-protecting bone.
Feng Qi claimed that while the anklet protected her from damage, her extreme cold energy, intensified by the White Bone Abyss, was clashing with Sima Jiao’s essence through the artifact, causing him harm. He explained that removing it would stop the backlash. Concerned for Sima Jiao, Liao Tingyan, without hesitation, removed the anklet. The moment the anklet was off, Shi Qianlv appeared and knocked Liao Tingyan unconscious.
Feng Qi, who believed their goal was merely to restore Liao Tingyan’s memories, reminded Shi Qianlv not to harm her. However, Shi Qianlv coldly stated that he and the Preceptor intended to use her to defeat Sima Jiao and began the process of refining her into a froststone. He had originally plotted with the Preceptor to lure Sima Jiao and Liao Tingyan to the White Bone Abyss.
Shi Qianlv, having used his Soul Cleanse on the inhabitants, had created the illusion of Grain Rain Vale, knowing Liao Tingyan’s longing for the place would draw her there, and that Sima Jiao would follow. Sima Jiao, sensing Liao Tingyan's peril, rushed to her aid. However, he was ambushed by Shi Qianlv and Preceptor Mingli and bound to a pillar, suffering intense fiery torture.
Liao Tingyan, though unconscious, was being subjected to the extreme cold of the Guiyuan Chamber, awakening her Frost Fish instincts. Sima Jiao desperately tried to break free to help Liao Tingyan, but the combined assault of Shi Qianlv and Preceptor Mingli, who taunted him about the inevitable blood sacrifice to revive the former Demon Lord You Chi, made it difficult. Despite his injuries, Sima Jiao managed to break the seal on Liao Tingyan.
Preceptor Mingli watched, telling Sima Jiao that the extreme cold would awaken Liao Tingyan’s Frost Fish nature, making her body betray her will. He challenged Sima Jiao, asking if her inherent nature could overcome her feelings for him. Under the influence of the marrow cleansing and the overwhelming cold, Liao Tingyan's body, now reawakened to her Frost Fish instincts, tragically perceived Sima Jiao as an enemy. She plunged a sword into his chest.
As Sima Jiao collapsed, his blood core detached and merged into a nearby blood pool, signifying the readiness for the blood sacrifice. Liao Tingyan, regaining her senses, was horrified to see Sima Jiao bleeding profusely. She cried out his name, apologizing for what she had unknowingly done. Sima Jiao, understanding, simply closed his eyes, leaving Liao Tingyan in anguish.
