Ma Xiaotao

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Ma Xiaotao (马小桃)
Alias(es)	“Volcano”; “Flame Maniac”; “Big Sister Xiaotao”; self-styled “reliable neighbor big sister” 4 14 23
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Shrek Academy Inner Court; disciple of Yan Shaozhe 13 19
Occupation/Role	Inner Court disciple and senior sister 13 31
Soul Power	Soul Emperor 15 25 26
Residence	A Sea God Island villa adjacent to Zhang Lexuan’s residence 13 14 42
First Appearance	Chapter 4

History

Ma Xiaotao first draws Xuanyuan Sheng’s attention after Yan Shaozhe praises him as a genius. She initially declares that she wants to challenge him, but instead confesses to him at the East Gate of Shrek Academy 4.

As Yan Shaozhe’s disciple and Zhang Lexuan’s neighbor, Ma Xiaotao is one of the few Inner Court disciples living in their area. Her volatile reputation and the recurring erosion of her Evil Fire leave her with few close friends, making her envious of Zhang Lexuan’s popularity and curious about the boy Zhang is seen embracing 13.

While spying from her balcony, Ma Xiaotao suffers an Evil Fire flare-up and is contacted by the Next-Door Sister System. The system temporarily suppresses her condition in exchange for compulsory tasks, whose failures can forcibly control her body 13. She soon begins visiting Xuanyuan Sheng while Zhang Lexuan is away, insisting that he call her “Big Sister Xiaotao” and presenting herself as his protective neighbor 14 15.

Ma Xiaotao attempts to guide Xuanyuan Sheng at the Mimicry Cultivation Ground, but incorrectly identifies his martial soul as solely light-attributed. The system forces her to publicly make an embarrassing declaration about Zhang Lexuan’s younger brother, creating widespread academy gossip 16 17.

After Zhang Lexuan confronts her over the rumors, Ma Xiaotao successfully reframes her behavior as an effort to deter girls who might harass Xuanyuan Sheng. Zhang Lexuan accepts the explanation and introduces her to Xuanyuan Sheng and Xiao Xiao as an ally 22. Ma Xiaotao later joins the group’s expedition to the Star Dou Great Forest, selecting suitable soul beasts for Xiao Xiao’s combat training and helping care for her after her Martial Soul Fusion drains her soul power 25 30 33.

Appearance

Ma Xiaotao is a striking Inner Court disciple whose academy image emphasizes red clothing, confidence, and an intimidating presence. Outside formal settings, she favors a more relaxed and provocative presentation 13 14 23.

• Usually wears Shrek Inner Court’s blood-red uniform or similarly red dresses 14 15 23.
• Sometimes conceals her appearance with a red veil 15 16.
• Noted for her slender waist, long legs, and curvaceous figure 16 23.
• Her public demeanor carries the oppressive air expected of the feared “Volcano” of the Inner Court 23.

Personality

Ma Xiaotao is proud, theatrical, and highly conscious of her appearance. She reacts strongly to criticism of her clothes or beauty, yet readily calls herself a mature and steady older sister despite her reckless reputation 15 23.

Her academy persona differs sharply from her private behavior. Around most students, she maintains an intimidating “volcano” image; around Xuanyuan Sheng, she becomes playful, physically affectionate, mischievous, and openly protective 14 23. She enjoys teasing Xiao Xiao and treating Xuanyuan Sheng as her younger brother, though her efforts to act like a reliable senior often create misunderstandings 23 31.

She is also quick-witted under pressure. When Zhang Lexuan investigates the Mimicry Ground rumor, Ma Xiaotao manipulates the conversation into a claim that she had been protecting Xuanyuan Sheng; later, she smoothly explains her suspicious familiarity with Zhang Lexuan’s villa layout 22 42.

Abilities & Skills

Soul Emperor Cultivation

Ma Xiaotao is a Soul Emperor and an Inner Court disciple, though she considers herself far below the level of Zhang Lexuan and fears that her Evil Fire could end her cultivation prematurely 15 16.

• Possesses enough combat experience to participate in the Star Dou Great Forest expedition 25 26.
• Offers to intervene against a thousand-year Steel-Toothed Pig if Xiao Xiao calls for help 31.
• Can assess that Xiao Xiao’s collapse after Martial Soul Fusion was caused by sudden soul-power depletion rather than physical injury 33.

Evil Fire

Ma Xiaotao suffers from an Evil Fire associated with her martial soul. Its surges affect her thoughts and physical state, and conventional means at Shrek have not resolved it 13 16.

• A flare-up can provoke intrusive fantasies and severe discomfort 13.
• The Next-Door Sister System can suppress the Evil Fire temporarily 13.
• The system’s promised Ultimate Ice reward would keep the Evil Fire frozen, but losing that reward would cause it to erupt again 19.

Martial Soul Attribute Analysis

Ma Xiaotao can operate a metallic sphere designed to identify the elemental attributes of a soul master’s martial soul 17.

• Initially identifies light as an attribute of Xuanyuan Sheng’s Xuanyuan Sword 17.
• Her conclusion proves incomplete when the sword produces a kaleidoscope of elemental colors through the analyzer 17.
• The misjudgment triggers a system punishment, demonstrating that her analysis is not infallible 17.

Next-Door Sister System

The Next-Door Sister System, also called the Neighbor’s Younger Brother System, acts independently within Ma Xiaotao’s mind. It issues missions centered on Xuanyuan Sheng, rewards success with cultivation resources, and enforces failures through humiliating punishments or direct bodily control 13 42.

Mission	Outcome	Consequence / Reward
Name one hundred storybook authors within ten seconds	Failed 13	The system forcibly posed her in a sultry position 13
Build closeness by having Xuanyuan Sheng address her as “Big Sister Xiaotao”	Completed 14	Received soul-power progress equivalent to ten days of cultivation 14
Recommend a suitable Mimicry Cultivation Ground for Xuanyuan Sheng	Failed after she judged his martial soul to be solely light-attributed 16 17	Forced to publicly declare that Zhang Lexuan’s younger brother was “quite succulent” 17
Become Xuanyuan Sheng’s only senior sister	Active; no completion is shown 19	Promised Ultimate Ice to suppress her Evil Fire 19

Equipment

• Red veil — Worn when Ma Xiaotao wishes to conceal her face in public 15 16.
• Martial soul attribute-analysis sphere — A metallic device used to reveal elemental affinities through injected soul power 17.

Relationships

• Xuanyuan Sheng — Her neighbor and self-appointed “little brother.” Ma Xiaotao repeatedly flirts with him, publicly reveals her attraction through a system punishment, and seeks to become his sole senior sister 14 17 19 23.
• Zhang Lexuan — Adjacent Inner Court disciple and Xuanyuan Sheng’s older sister. Ma Xiaotao begins by envying and gossiping about her, then earns her trust by claiming to protect Xuanyuan Sheng from unwanted attention 13 22.
• Yan Shaozhe — Her teacher and the person whose praise of Xuanyuan Sheng first piques her interest in him 4 19.
• Xiao Xiao — A romantic rival for Xuanyuan Sheng’s attention. The two tease and provoke one another, but Ma Xiaotao also monitors Xiao Xiao’s condition after her Martial Soul Fusion 23 31 33.
• Next-Door Sister System — A coercive system that suppresses her Evil Fire in return for mission compliance and can seize control of her body as punishment 13 17.

Notable Quotes

“Big Sister always keeps her word.” 14

“Your body is your most important capital; only with that capital can you resolve the things that seem so dangerous to you.” 23