Biodata
| Feature | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Ma Xiaotao (马小桃) |
| Alias(es) | Senior Sister Ma; Senior Sister Xiaotao 23 35 |
| Gender | Female |
| Affiliation | Shrek Academy — Inner Court; Martial Soul Department 23 45 |
| Occupation/Role | Inner Court senior and core disciple of the Martial Soul Department 23 45 |
| Martial Soul | Evil Fire Phoenix, later evolved into the Ultimate Fire Phoenix 24 26 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 22 22 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Evil Fire Phoenix | 24 | Her original martial soul. Its evil fire caused repeated cultivation backlash and left her afraid she might eventually lose control and become an Evil Soul Master. |
| Ultimate Fire Phoenix | 26 | Huo Yuhao's Life Crystal permanently eradicated the evil fire and awakened her true Ultimate Fire Phoenix; she manifests golden flames afterward. |
Background
For more than a decade, Ma Xiaotao endured the pain and instability caused by the evil fire in her Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul. She feared that a future loss of control could turn her into a mindless Evil Soul Master and harm those around her. 22 25 26
Yan Shaozhe informed her that Huo Yuhao's Life Crystal could nourish her martial soul, repair flaws in her Phoenix bloodline, and potentially remove the evil fire permanently. Overwhelmed by the possibility of a cure, Ma Xiaotao immediately resolved to seek Huo's help. 22 23
Appearance
Ma Xiaotao is a slender, striking woman with a fiery and heroic presence. Her appearance strongly reflects the fire attribute of her martial soul. 22 23
- Waist-length red hair described as resembling burning flames; she later ties it into a high ponytail. 22 34
- Fiery red eyes. 22
- Often wears fiery-red gowns or training clothes. 22 23 34
- After her evolution, she can produce golden Ultimate Fire flames at her fingertips. 26
Personality
Ma Xiaotao is direct, decisive, and unreserved in pursuing a solution to her cultivation problem. Her desperation to overcome the evil fire makes her impatient at first, but it also reveals the vulnerability beneath her confident Inner Court persona. 22 25
After being cured, she becomes openly affectionate and protective toward Huo Yuhao. She repeatedly seeks him out for joint cultivation, disregards classmates' gossip, and is deeply upset when he leaves for the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy. 26 35 45
Abilities & Skills
Ultimate Fire Phoenix
Ma Xiaotao's evolved martial soul produces Ultimate Fire, replacing the unstable evil fire that previously plagued her.
- Her golden flames emerge after her Life Crystal-assisted evolution. 26
- The evolution removes the Evil Fire Phoenix's backlash and the threat of her losing control. 25 26
- Her Ultimate Fire can be further tempered through complementary cultivation with Huo Yuhao's ice attribute. 35 36
Ice–Fire Complementary Cultivation
Ma Xiaotao can cultivate jointly with Huo Yuhao by circulating her Ultimate Fire alongside his ice-attribute power.
- Their opposing but homologous attributes stimulate and temper one another rather than clash. 35 36
- The process increases both partners' cultivation speed several times beyond normal practice. 36
- Zhao Ze's spiritual power was used to precisely regulate the initial exchange of ice and fire soul power. 35 36
Items
- Calming Grass sachet — A warm sachet containing Calming Grass dried with her Ultimate Fire, given to Huo Yuhao before his departure for the Sun Moon Empire. 45
Relationships
- Huo Yuhao — Junior brother, benefactor, and cultivation partner. His Life Crystal cures her evil fire and evolves her martial soul; they later cultivate together through their complementary ice and fire attributes. Ma Xiaotao becomes emotionally attached to him and gives him a farewell sachet when he leaves Shrek. 23 26 35 37 45
- Yan Shaozhe — Her teacher and the Dean of Shrek's Martial Soul Department. He identifies Huo Yuhao's Life Crystal as a possible permanent cure for her evil fire and later prevents her from trying to join the exchange-student group. 22 35 45
- Wang Dong'er — Wang Dong'er reacts with visible displeasure and jealousy when Ma Xiaotao openly takes Huo Yuhao away for cultivation. 23 34 35
Story Role
Evil Fire Cure
Ma Xiaotao approaches Huo Yuhao after learning of his Life Crystal. In a secret chamber near Sea God Lake, she explains her condition and asks him to help suppress the Evil Fire Phoenix's backlash. 23 24
The Life Crystal immediately suppresses her evil fire. After receiving a more concentrated dose, her martial soul completes its evolution into the Ultimate Fire Phoenix. She pays Huo Yuhao a large bag of Gold Soul Coins and states that she will return if she needs more Life Crystals. 25 26
Joint Cultivation
Following her evolution, Ma Xiaotao learns that the ice attribute contained in Huo Yuhao's Life Crystal can further refine her Ultimate Fire. She repeatedly invites him to Sea God Lake for joint cultivation, where their attributes mutually enhance their soul power. 34 36
Their increasingly close cultivation sessions lead to romantic tension and an intimate encounter, after which Ma Xiaotao asks Huo Yuhao to treat the incident as though it never happened. 36 37
Huo Yuhao's Departure
When Huo Yuhao departs as an exchange student for the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, Ma Xiaotao is among the Inner Court seniors who see him off. She tearfully protests his departure because she will no longer be able to cultivate with him, then gives him a Calming Grass sachet and asks him to return soon. 45
Notable Quotes
“You can! And only you can help me!” 23
“Yuhao, I don't want you to leave... If you go, who will cultivate with me?” 45