Ma Xiaotao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ma Xiaotao (马小桃)
Alias(es)	Flame Maniac
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Shrek Academy Inner Court
Occupation/Role	Inner Court disciple; Yan Shaozhe's personal disciple
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 15 (unidentified crimson figure); identified in Chapter 16
Martial Soul	Evil Fire Phoenix
Cultivation	Six-ring Soul Emperor 18
Attributes	Ultimate Fire; unstable evil fire

Background

Ma Xiaotao is an Inner Court prodigy and Yan Shaozhe's disciple. Her Evil Fire Phoenix possesses Ultimate Fire and a trace of divine-beast bloodline, giving her the confidence to claim she had never been defeated outside sparring with her teacher and senior sisters. Her uncontrolled evil fire, however, periodically endangers those around her. 18

Jiang Yang deliberately sought an encounter with her at Sea God Lake, where her evil fire erupted. His Ultimate Ice contained the spreading flames, protected Jiang Nannan and Wang Dong, and ultimately knocked Ma Xiaotao into the lake. Yan Shaozhe recognized Jiang Yang's Ultimate Ice as a solution to Ma Xiaotao's condition and began trying to bind the two together. 15 16

While Ma Xiaotao was unconscious, Yan Shaozhe placed her and the exhausted Jiang Yang in the same room under deliberately compromising circumstances. Their awakening led to a violent misunderstanding, with Ma Xiaotao initially believing Jiang Yang had harmed her and attacking him. 17 18

Appearance

Ma Xiaotao is portrayed in crimson and scarlet tones that mirror her fire-based Martial Soul. During battle, the phantom of the Evil Fire Phoenix and phoenix-fire wings manifest behind her. 18

• Dark hair and vibrant eyes with a naturally proud, alluring bearing. 20
• Often wears a scarlet dress. 18
• Her martial soul manifests as a fiery phoenix, accompanied by six soul rings. 18
• Her expression and complexion visibly redden when embarrassed, especially around Jiang Yang. 19 36

Personality

Ma Xiaotao is impulsive, proud, and highly competitive. She reacts fiercely to perceived humiliation and initially pursues combat rather than discussion when confronting Jiang Yang. Even after realizing that he may have been manipulated as well, she insists on testing whether he is strong enough to stand beside her. 18

Her pride is tempered by a strong conscience. During their duel, she begins withdrawing power from Phoenix Roaring Sky Strike when she fears she may genuinely kill Jiang Yang. She is also deeply concerned for his safety when Zhang Lexuan appears prepared to fight him seriously. 18 19

Around Jiang Yang, Ma Xiaotao becomes increasingly shy and emotionally transparent. She confesses her feelings, becomes distressed by his doubts, and later struggles to hide her reactions during the Mingdou Mountain Range expedition. 20 36

Abilities & Skills

Evil Fire Phoenix

Ma Xiaotao's Martial Soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix, an Ultimate Fire martial soul with a trace of divine-beast bloodline. Its power allows her to contend with opponents above her level, but its evil-fire instability can cause destructive loss of control. 16 18

• Possesses six soul rings as a Soul Emperor. 18
• Her evil fire expanded across hundreds of meters during an uncontrolled outbreak. 16
• Her Ultimate Fire was able to bore through Jiang Yang's layered Ultimate Ice defenses. 18
• Her unstable condition is the reason Yan Shaozhe seeks an Ultimate Ice Soul Master to assist her. 20 35

Phoenix Fire Line

Ma Xiaotao's first soul skill fires a concentrated line of phoenix flame after she enhances herself with Bathing Fire Phoenix. 18

• Used as a probing attack against Jiang Yang. 18
• Was frozen by Jiang Yang's Ultimate Ice without requiring him to use the Xuanyuan Sword. 18

Bathing Fire Phoenix

Her second soul skill is a self-enhancement ability that boosts her attributes. 18

• Used before Phoenix Fire Line to strengthen her attack. 18
• Activated again when she prepares to intervene against the Evil Soul Masters in the Mingdou Mountain Range. 39

Phoenix Roaring Sky Strike

Ma Xiaotao's fourth soul skill releases an overwhelming pillar or shockwave of fire. 18

• Powerful enough to penetrate the core of Jiang Yang's reinforced ice wall. 18
• Its missed blast destroyed a distant courtyard wall. 18
• She instinctively used it to defend herself against Jiang Yang's Hundred-Step Flying Sword. 18

Relationships

• Jiang Yang — Initially clashes with him after Yan Shaozhe engineers their compromising encounter. Jiang Yang defeats her in their subsequent duel; she later confesses her feelings, while he remains doubtful of the suddenness of her affection. 18 20
• Yan Shaozhe — Her teacher and Shrek Academy's dean. He is intensely invested in curing her evil-fire condition and repeatedly attempts to bring her together with Jiang Yang through manipulation. 16 17 35
• Zhang Lexuan — Her senior sister. Ma Xiaotao seeks comfort and support from Zhang Lexuan after losing to Jiang Yang, and Zhang Lexuan teases her about her feelings. 19
• Ling Luochen — Fellow Inner Court disciple and frequent verbal sparring partner. Ling Luochen teases Ma Xiaotao over her feelings and poor cooking, though their exchanges are not malicious. 36 37
• Jiang Nannan — Jiang Yang's close companion. Jiang Nannan's arrival interrupts Ma Xiaotao's emotional conversation with Jiang Yang, creating tension between them. 20

Story Role / Major Arcs

Evil Fire Outbreak

Ma Xiaotao's rampaging evil fire becomes the immediate threat at Sea God Lake. Jiang Yang suppresses the blaze with Ultimate Ice and defeats her without exposing all of his abilities, drawing Yan Shaozhe's attention to their compatible attributes. 16

Conflict with Jiang Yang

After awakening beside Jiang Yang, Ma Xiaotao attacks him in anger. She challenges him to a winner-takes-all duel, but Jiang Yang's Righteous and Bright domain suppresses her soul power and enables his Hundred-Step Flying Sword to defeat her. 18

Confession and Inner Court Tension

Following Zhang Lexuan's intervention, Ma Xiaotao later approaches Jiang Yang and confesses her feelings. His skepticism over her motives leaves her in tears, and she flees when Jiang Nannan and Ling Luochen arrive. 19 20

Mingdou Mountain Range Expedition

Ma Xiaotao joins Jiang Yang, Zhang Lexuan, and Ling Luochen for training in the Mingdou Mountain Range. Though initially avoiding Jiang Yang, she is visibly flustered by teasing about him and becomes impressed by his survival skills and cooking. 35 36 37

When Evil Soul Masters approach the group, Ma Xiaotao immediately prepares to fight, activating Bathing Fire Phoenix and beginning to use her sixth soul skill before Jiang Yang's Human Emperor Banner neutralizes the attackers' assault. 38 39

Trivia

• Ma Xiaotao is called the Flame Maniac because of her unstable evil fire. 16
• Despite her combat talent, she is notably poor at cooking; Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen recall her grilled fish as being burned like charcoal. 37
• Jiang Yang's cooking rapidly changes her demeanor toward him, to the point that the narration notes no trace of the Flame Maniac remained in her behavior around him. 38