First 3 Episodes Analysis AKA All the Background Stuff we are too Busy Laughing to Pay Attention to:

First 3 Episodes Analysis aka. All the Background Stuff we are too Busy Laughing to Pay Attention to:

(reposting here by request) (Medium Length)

So Bing Chang *cough* the Mirror Demon said “The brides were always deluded. Just like my Master.” Thus, her Master was a woman. More specifically her Master was “Infatuated and misled. For that heartless man who married another woman, she was willing to give up everything.” (Episode 1)

Liu Fuyi reacts immediately to this information, recognizing the story of his Master. And we know he is a demon, because in the novel Mu Yao said “So you really are a demon. You all lied to me.” All. Meaning more than one person lied about being a demon.

For the rest of the scene, the shards of mirror reflect mostly Liu Fuyi and the Mirror Demon, as they were both disciples of the same Master and could see themselves in each other. Upon Mu Sheng’s destruction of the Mirror Demon’s realm, Liu Fuyi immediately argues that they should imprison her in the Demon Trap Tower, rather than killing her. He steps in to protect her.

We also learn Liu Fuyi is a rather high-ranking demon. He is able to trace the energy of a single burnt fragment of the Mountain and Sea Map. That is impressive. Neither Mu Sheng nor Mu Yao were able to do that. (Episode 3)

So, who is their Master? The Resentful Woman. Only 9th Level (Episode 3) female demon we know of. Honestly, in principle I get suspicious when the back-story involves a malicious woman who tried to take over the world and was conquered by a man. It usually gives off major Green Phoenix via Blue Whisper vibes and ends up being revisionist history.

So, why did the Resentful Woman send Liu Fuyi here? Well, we know from the book that he wanted the Hundred Demons Mountain and Sea Map, which reveals the movement of demons. If I was the Demon Queen, I would want to protect my people also. But there is also a second reason. Or more specifically, 2 potential specific reasons.

The first is to track the movements of and thus find her son (she needs the map for that). The second is to watch over her son (if she currently knows where he is).

Her son being Mu Sheng. We know that he is adopted into the Mu family. We also know he is a demon, thanks to the novel. At first I thought this was some sort of peace treaty mutual hostage exchange. (Wasn’t sure who the humans/demon hunters gave the demons). But they also could have simply captured him.

The Resentful Woman reappeared 10 years ago. And the Mu family was massacred 7 years ago. Sounds like she spent 3 years looking for her son, as she did not have the Mountain and Sea Map. The only survivors of the massacre were Mu Sheng (obviously) and Mu Yao, who he would have attempted to protect and thus the Resentful Woman spared. The Resentful Woman also went out of her way to specifically introduce herself to Mu Sheng, telling him to “remember my name” (Episode 3).

So, the Mus are all the descendants of Mu Qingshi and the woman he betrayed the Resentful Woman with and married. (Also, most likely how she got the name the Resentful Woman.) And that is how the Mu’s also got hold of the Mountain and Sea Map. Mu Qingshi stole it from the Demon Queen.

Also, Mu Sheng is Fu Zhou, the FL’s favourite author. For some reason, I can not fathom, Ling MiaoMiao misses her name in the introduction to the novel. (Episode 1)

They also use some very specific dates. She has been his fan for 10 years. The Resentful Woman reappeared 10 years ago. It took Fu Zhou 3 years to write his latest novel. It took the Resentful Woman 3 years to find him.

So, this (Fu Zhou) is his name now and he has waited years for their time-lines to line-up again and how we will have our happy ending.

As to Mu Sheng being a demon. Aside from the plot drop in the book (Episode 1), there are several clues:

He can fly. (Episode 1). He has demon eyes. (Episode 3)  He has super-speed (Episode 2). He routinely casts and summons talismans and curses out of thin air (while everyone else must paint them on paper). His demon sight is also intriguing - it seems more a way to trace energy, than enhanced vision. Otherwise FL’s (Ling MiaoMiao) hair would have matched the hair he had (Lin Yu’s), as they were from the same body. Yet, they did not match - which means he is not examining colour, but energy or soul.

In Episode 3, Liu Fuyi tells him, “I have no choice, but to reprimand you as an elder brother.” What an odd thing to say. He didn’t propose to his sister, so how could he be an elder brother? Unless they come from the same clan? Or his Master is Mu Sheng’s mother.

Liu Fuyi and Mu Sheng are also the only of the 3 demon hunters that seem to possess the ability to shut and seal doors with their magic, but not Mu Yao. Which would make sense if they are both demons.

Also, Mu Sheng’s bracers are intriguing. They are how he summons his sword, yes. But they also seem to be how he channels his fire and conjuring abilities. Channel or allowed?

It took his mother 3 years to find him in the care of the Mu’s. But even without the Mountain and Sea Map, she should have been able to trace his energy. Again, we see that he specifically has the ability to trace a soul’s energy in Episode 2 (How he is using the hair to find the one who tore the talisman off his sister’s door) and that other high-level demons can track energy, even in extreme situations. Like a single fragment of a map. A single burnt fragment. A single burnt fragment at the button of a very deep lake.

So, why couldn’t the Resentful Woman trace her son’s energy? It must have been dampened somehow. Thus, the bracers are some sort of energy dampener, both preventing him from being tracked and suppressing his powers to a certain degree, in order to 1. Keep him from realizing he is a demon and 2. An attempt by the Mu family to make him “safer” to have around.

 EclecticJello:

Also, Mu Sheng is Fu Zhou, the FL’s favourite author.

I fully agree with this because after he hears her backstory or so called "dream" his first response is to ask her for her name in the real world...but if you were not from the real world how would you assume that the person had another name in their "dream"

however if he was the author what is his purpose by bringing her into this world? all she is doing is completely changing the story's plot...her missions also don't make sense assuming that he has a certain degree of control over them..and lastly why her? he obviously did not recognize her name and if he chose her he would never have asked her for her name right?

Oh and another thing I noticed ( I'm not sure if its correct though) is that in the introduction animation it shows the FL's character being locked up behind bars and the shadow of a nine tailed fox appears..considering that her mother is never seen in the novel world could it be possible that she too is a demon? (another possibility is to represent her cunning nature thus representing her as a fox)

Isn’t it spoiler? I only have watched 3 episodes and no clues that neither of them are demons?

 MJN:

I thought after reading this it would help answer some questions or clear up some things, but I am still if not more just as confused.  I think I might have to re watch.  I am only at the end of episode 3 anyway.  So far I am enjoying it but still confused by all the connections and basically what is going on and what the plot is.

I think this is just op's personal theories/ analysis and since I read the book already, there are many things I don't agree to. I suggest reading the book first while waiting for new episodes, after that all the changes to the adaptation compare to the book will be easier to understand. Imo it's not that deep, I can guess the plotline they're aiming for, just waiting for confirmation from the series itself.

1. "And we know he is a demon, because in the novel Mu Yao said “So you really are a demon. You all lied to me.” All. Meaning more than one person lied about being a demon. "

This is not accurate. In the intro when they were narrating the novel, she said they all lied to her because Fu Yi lied about loving her, Lin Yu lied about being her friend, and Mu Sheng lied about being a demon. She wasn't implying others were demons, she was saying they all betrayed her in some way. 

2. "We also learn Liu Fuyi is a rather high-ranking demon. He is able to trace the energy of a single burnt fragment of the Mountain and Sea Map. That is impressive. Neither Mu Sheng nor Mu Yao were able to do that. (Episode 3)"

Fu Yi goes onto say that it's just basic tracing magic, and considering no one questioned that, I don't see how that supports him being a demon. We know that he's a high ranking demon hunter, so naturally he is skilled

3. "Also, Mu Sheng is Fu Zhou, the FL’s favourite author. For some reason, I can not fathom, Ling MiaoMiao misses her name in the introduction to the novel. (Episode 1)"

Maybe? I'm not sure how you got that from the first three episodes. The showing of her name in the beginning was just introducing her character in the drama, that wasn't part of the narration. You can see off to the right side where it's showing her name (in Chinese)

4. "Otherwise FL’s (Ling MiaoMiao) hair would have matched the hair he had (Lin Yu’s), as they were from the same body. Yet, they did not match - which means he is not examining colour, but energy or soul."

The hair didn't match because she used a hair mask to dye her hair. She straight up says that, and it's shown in the flashback when she asks her maid for the ingredients after seeing Mu Sheng comparing the hair strand to the servants

5. "In Episode 3, Liu Fuyi tells him, “I have no choice, but to reprimand you as an elder brother.” What an odd thing to say. He didn’t propose to his sister, so how could he be an elder brother? Unless they come from the same clan? Or his Master is Mu Sheng’s mother."

This is more so just a respect thing, similar to how Lin Yu/Miao Miao calls him brother. Since they're all demon hunters, and Fu Yi is of a higher rank, it's normal for him to be considered as an "elder brother"

@DramaLifeForever 
You are so sweet! Thank you. ? Sorry my reply took so long - I am in the middle of another project. Yikes - going to have to binge to catch-up.

 kellzz:

They mention in the first episode that Lin Yu was possessed by a fox demon (prior to Miao Miao taking over) 

Ohh I must have missed that! Thanks :)