Episode Summary
In this episode, Sima Jiao outsmarts the eight sect leaders by turning their ambush against them. He then fakes Liao Tingyan's death to get them off his back, turning her into an otter for her protection. Meanwhile, a naive new character, Nian Jiu, is taken in by the manipulative Ye Ruling. The plot shifts as Sima Jiao learns of a new secret mission involving a man with a birthmark, embarking on a new journey with Liao Tingyan in her otter form.
Spoiler Alert
"When Destiny Brings the Demon" Episode 9: The Otter and the Trap
Alright, so Sima Jiao is no fool. He knows perfectly well that Shi Qianlv is trying to use Liao Tingyan to lure him into a trap and seal him away again. Instead of stopping her, he just gives her a little magical accessory to wear to the "party." Classic move.
Liao Tingyan, bless her heart, cluelessly walks right into the ambush. Meanwhile, Cang Lan is so eager to get her hands on Liao Tingyan that she knocks her own ally, Ye Ruling, unconscious to stop her from interfering. Just as the eight sect leaders are about to make their move, Sima Jiao shows up. The little trinket he gave Liao Tingyan instantly shatters the magical formation they had set up. With their plan in ruins, the leaders panic and turn on Liao Tingyan directly. And where's Sima Jiao during all this? Just chilling on a cloud, watching the chaos unfold like it's his own private theater.
After the fun is over, he whisks Liao Tingyan away. They end up at a fancy pavilion built near his place by Chu Hui, the young princess of the Moon Palace, who's been trying to get his attention. Sima Jiao kicks her out and lets Liao Tingyan stay there. Chu Hui, surprisingly, isn't even mad. She excitedly runs back to her sect and reports that Sima Jiao has probably killed Liao Tingyan. To sell the story, Liao Tingyan's "life lamp" goes out, and when Shi Qianlv and the others investigate, they find Sima Jiao meditating over her bloody clothes. Convinced she's dead, they finally back off.
With everyone thinking Liao Tingyan is gone, Ye Ruling is approached by the Black Snake, who has just taken human form. He's naive and thinks Ye Ruling is Liao Tingyan's good friend. He lets it slip that his grandmaster (Sima Jiao) seems to really care for Liao Tingyan and probably just hid her somewhere safe. Seeing a new pawn, Ye Ruling takes the snake in as her disciple, names him Nian Jiu, and immediately starts manipulating him by showing him the suffering of her people.
Now, to keep Liao Tingyan safe and hidden from the eight sects who are still watching his every move, Sima Jiao does the most logical thing possible: he turns her into an otter. This way, her aura is concealed, and he can carry her around with him.
The plot thickens when Sima Jiao finds out that Shi Qianlv's informant, An Xue, was killed. He manages to learn from the informant's last spiritual trace that Shi Qianlv is now searching for a man with a birthmark on his shoulder. Not wanting to be left behind, Sima Jiao decides to find this person first, taking his new otter companion along for the ride. The episode leaves off with them in a lively town, Liao Tingyan thrilled by the sights (even as an otter), and the clueless Nian Jiu feeling envious of the master's new "pet."
