Ma Xiaotao

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Ma Xiaotao (马小桃)
Alias(es)	Little Tao; Xiaotao
Gender	Female
Age	19 6 7
Affiliation	Shrek Academy, Inner Court 6 60
Occupation / Role	Inner Court disciple; mission captain and tournament-team captain 61 73 98
Martial Soul	Evil Fire Phoenix 6 65
Cultivation	Seven-ring Soul Saint 99
First Appearance	Chapter 6

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Seven-ring Soul Saint	99	Had broken through before Shrek Academy's semifinal against Star Luo National Academy; her seven rings caused an immediate stir when revealed. 99

Background / History

Ma Xiaotao first met Jiang Che at Sea God Lake after the Evil Fire within her Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul lost control. In agony and close to suffering damage to her meridians or madness, she attacked Jiang Che; his Ultimate Ice suppressed the fire through her meridians and stabilized her condition. Yan Shaozhe subsequently appointed Jiang Che as her exclusive “fire extinguisher.” 6

Her Evil Fire continued to flare up at irregular intervals, ranging from discomfort to destructive loss of control. Jiang Che periodically suppressed it, and Xiaotao grew deeply attached to him: she waited outside his seclusion chambers, wanted to accompany him on missions, and was consistently the first to meet him after seclusion. 6 13

Her initial reliance gradually became romantic affection. Though outwardly stubborn and prone to denying her concern, she had long feared that Jiang Che regarded her only as a junior in need of protection. At Sea God Lake, Jiang Che finally reciprocated her feelings, and she accepted him openly. 6 7 After Jiang Che returned from the Far North, she immediately checked him for injuries; their relationship was later confirmed as that of lovers. 39 40

Appearance

Ma Xiaotao is a slender young woman with fiery-red hair, crimson phoenix-like eyes, and a striking presence that draws attention. She is often associated with flame-red clothing and imagery resembling a burning lotus. 6 39

• Long, flame-red hair. 6 39
• Proud phoenix eyes that appear crimson. 6 60
• Commonly wears a red dress. 39
• Her martial soul manifests as a Fire Phoenix marked by thin black lines of Evil Fire. 106

Personality

Xiaotao is direct, spirited, and unafraid to act on impulse, as shown by her first violent encounter with Jiang Che and her tendency to express affection through teasing or physical gestures. 6 12 Her blunt words often contrast with genuine concern; she worries intensely about Jiang Che's safety despite pretending otherwise. 6 39

She places complete trust in Jiang Che regarding her Evil Fire and accepts his promise to resolve it. 12 13 In leadership, she is practical and decisive, taking responsibility for team logistics, travel arrangements, and combat command during the Death Hand Bandit Group operation. 61 64

Abilities & Skills

Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul

Ma Xiaotao possesses the Evil Fire Phoenix, a powerful fire-attribute martial soul whose corrupted Evil Fire can become dangerously unstable. 6 65

• Her uncontrolled Evil Fire causes severe pain, destabilizes her soul power, and can threaten her meridians and sanity. 6
• Jiang Che's Ultimate Ice can suppress the Evil Fire, allowing her to cultivate and function without sudden flare-ups for a time. 12 13
• As her soul power rises, the Evil Fire becomes more intense. 12
• When she stops suppressing it in battle, her phoenix flames deepen into dark red and display the Evil Fire Phoenix's true ferocity. 107

Phoenix Fire Line

Her first soul skill fires a concentrated line of phoenix flame.

• Used to attack Huang Heyun during the semifinal against Star Luo National Academy. 100
• Fired immediately at Xu Jiujiu after the Absolute Defense Soul Tool was destroyed. 102

Phoenix Meteor Shower

Her sixth soul skill is a ten-thousand-year, wide-area bombardment that summons massive phoenix-fire meteors. 101 106

• Its destructive force overwhelmed the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy's second wave of soul-tool attacks. 106
• An Absolute Defense Soul Tool initially sealed the skill along with Xiaotao herself. 101
• She used it again in conjunction with Phoenix Avatar to help shatter the Absolute Defense barrier. 102

Phoenix Avatar

Her seventh soul skill and Avatar of Martial Soul transforms her into a massive Fire Phoenix. 102

• Greatly raises her offensive power and heat output, warping the arena's air and terrain through extreme temperature. 102
• Combined with Ling Luochen's Ice Explosion, it broke the barrier of a level-seven Absolute Defense Soul Tool. 102

Other Soul Skills

• Bathing Fire Phoenix — A self-enhancement skill used before unleashing Phoenix Meteor Shower. 107
• Phoenix Wings Soaring — Boosts her aerial mobility and supports the use of Phoenix Fire Line. 100 107
• Phoenix Roaring Heaven Strike — An Evil Fire-powered attack capable of locking down and restraining opponents. 107

Relationships

• Jiang Che — Her former Evil Fire suppressor and “Little Martial Uncle,” later her romantic partner. His Ultimate Ice repeatedly stabilizes her condition, and she trusts him unconditionally. 6 7 12 40
• Yan Shaozhe — Her master. He recognized Jiang Che's ability to suppress her Evil Fire and arranged for him to become her exclusive aid; he also teases Xiaotao over her attachment to Jiang Che. 6
• Wang Yan — Team teacher and strategist during the tournament; he works with Xiaotao to arrange Shrek's semifinal lineup. 73 99
• Dai Yueheng — Fellow Shrek core member and front-line combat partner. He launched Xiaotao into the Sun Moon team's formation to exploit her close-range offensive power. 99 107
• Ling Luochen — Teammate whose Ice Explosion combined with Xiaotao's Phoenix Avatar to break Xu Jiujiu's Absolute Defense Soul Tool. 99 102
• Xu Jiujiu — Opposing captain in the tournament semifinals. Xiaotao eliminated her after breaking the Absolute Defense barrier. 98 102

Story Role / Major Arcs

Death Hand Bandit Group Operation

Ma Xiaotao served as captain for Shrek's mission through the Mingdou Mountain Range, organizing the team's travel and assigning riders for the weaker first-year students. 61 Jiang Che later placed her in command of the operation against the Death Hand Bandit Group, while she led the Inner Court vanguard into the bandits' cave. 64 65

All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament

Xiaotao acted as Shrek Academy's captain during the tournament's format drawings and later in the final-four draw. 73 98 During the semifinal against Star Luo National Academy, she revealed her seven-ring Soul Saint cultivation, defeated two opponents, and ultimately used Phoenix Avatar to break Xu Jiujiu's Absolute Defense Soul Tool and eliminate the opposing captain. 99 100 102

In the final against Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, Xiaotao's Phoenix Meteor Shower dominated the battlefield and forced the opposing team to expend three defensive barriers. 106 107 She was then launched into the enemy formation by Dai Yueheng, unleashed the Evil Fire Phoenix's full power, and pressured Lin Xi into sacrificing himself to contain her with layered barriers. 107

Notable Quotes

“I knew it... I knew you didn't not care about me...” 7