Ma Xiaotao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ma Xiaotao
Alias(es)	马小桃
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Formerly Shrek Academy; Inner Court Seven Devils; currently an Evil Soul Master
Occupation/Role	Assault System Battle Soul Master; former main-squad member and team leader
Status	Missing; confirmed to have become an Evil Soul Master
First Appearance	19

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Sixty-ninth-rank Assault System Battle Soul Emperor	55	Her cultivation had risen to rank 69, with the Ice Spirit Seed planted by Huo Yuhao credited for the improvement.
Sixty-ninth-rank Assault System Battle Soul Emperor, partially recovered	104	Despite not fully recovering from the Death God Envoy incident, she stated that she could still exert roughly 70–80% of her usual combat strength.

Background / History

Ma Xiaotao suffers from an innate martial-soul defect: an evil fire within her blood that can overwhelm her mind. During one episode at Sea God Lake, the fire drove her into a destructive frenzy; although she retained some awareness, she was compelled to destroy what was in front of her. 19

Huo Yuhao confronted her with the Ice God Eye and injected eternal Mystic Ice through her forehead, planting an Ice God Seed in her mind before escaping. Ma Xiaotao collapsed into the lake and was retrieved by white-robed Shrek personnel. 19 The seed subsequently took root in her soul without Yan Shaozhe detecting it. 22

After the incident, Ma Xiaotao told Yan Shaozhe that the evil fire had subsided and firmly refused to abandon cultivation merely because of her defect. Yan Shaozhe believed an ice-attribute soul master had temporarily suppressed the fire, but warned that the effect would fade and the evil fire would eventually return. 20 He later considered whether Huo Yuhao's ice power could help her, but hesitated because ordinary ice could provoke a stronger backlash from her Ultimate Fire. 26

By the time Huo Yuhao encountered her again at an inn, the Ice Seed had improved her temperament and caused her to feel an inexplicable closeness and trust toward him. She recognized him as a talented Shrek junior after hearing Ling Luochen speak highly of him. 38 39 The seed ultimately extinguished her evil fire and remained firmly under Huo Yuhao's control, though Ma Xiaotao was unaware of its true nature. 55

Ma Xiaotao later joined the Inner Court's main squad as a sixty-ninth-rank Soul Emperor. During a training match, she selected Ling Luochen and Ning Tian for her side, led the initial charge against Dai Yueheng, and fought at the front line. 55 56 She subsequently led the Shrek team into the forest during the mission involving the Death God Envoy. 62

During the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Ma Xiaotao was recovering from injuries. She initially estimated that she could recover 70% of her combat strength in thirteen days, then later stated that she might fight in roughly eight days at the risk of secondary damage. 66 70 As the tournament continued, she and Dai Yueheng returned to the field while still injured, claiming they could use roughly 70–80% of their ordinary strength. 104

Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen later represented Shrek Academy against True Heaven Academy. Dai Yueheng disregarded their agreed formation and charged ahead, forcing Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen to divide their responsibilities because their fire- and ice-based soul skills would interfere with one another. 108 Following the loss, Ma Xiaotao blamed Huo Yuhao for Shrek's situation, but Ling Luochen rejected her claim that he was obligated to risk his life for Shrek Academy's honor. 109

After the tournament, Ma Xiaotao undertook an investigation of Evil Soul Masters alone and crossed toward the Sun Moon Empire's border. She was ambushed, vanished for two days, and subsequently appeared in Risheng City surrounded by evil energy and black souls. Footage from the Sun Moon Empire confirmed that she had become an Evil Soul Master; she then destroyed the soul engineer unit sent to confront her and disappeared. 133 139

Appearance

During her evil-fire episode, Ma Xiaotao wore a red veil. In battle, fiery red feathers manifest around her and her eyes shine with a scorching brilliance. 19 56

• Black-red fire can emerge while her evil fire is active. 19
• A fiery red phoenix mark appears beneath targets when she uses Phoenix Sky-Screaming Strike. 56
• After becoming an Evil Soul Master, she was recorded wearing black robes and surrounded by evil energy and black souls. 133

Personality

Ma Xiaotao is resolute about becoming stronger and openly challenges Yan Shaozhe when he urges her to stop cultivating. She refuses to accept that her innate defect should end her path toward becoming a powerhouse. 20

Her evil fire sharply contrasts with this determination: when it takes control, it suppresses her judgment and leaves her with an uncontrollable destructive urge. 19 After Huo Yuhao's seed takes root, her temperament becomes more stable, though her unusual trust in him is influenced by the seed rather than informed knowledge of his actions. 22 38 39

She is confident and independent in carrying out Inner Court inspection missions, regarding a mission against a minor noble as something she could handle alone. 39 She also assumes responsibility as a combat leader and is willing to risk harm to her future cultivation in order to fight for Shrek Academy. 56 70

Ma Xiaotao can be impulsive and strongly invested in Shrek Academy's collective honor. After Shrek's loss to True Heaven Academy, she held Huo Yuhao responsible for not taking the field, even though Ling Luochen pointed out that he had no obligation to endanger himself for the academy. 109

Abilities & Skills

Evil Fire and Ultimate Fire

Ma Xiaotao wields powerful fire attributed to her Ultimate Fire, but her innate defect causes the fire to become unstable and potentially drive her mad.

• Can release black-red flames while under the evil fire's influence. 19
• Her Phoenix Fire Line can clash directly with Dai Yueheng's White Tiger Intense Light Wave. 56
• Ordinary ice has limited effect against her Ultimate Fire and may trigger a stronger backlash from the evil fire. 26
• Huo Yuhao's eternal Mystic Ice temporarily suppressed the evil fire, while the Ice God Seed continued influencing her from within. 19 22
• The Ice Spirit Seed ultimately extinguished her evil fire, enabling her cultivation to advance to rank 69. 55
• After her border ambush, she manifested evil energy and black souls as an Evil Soul Master. 133

Phoenix Sky-Screaming Strike

Ma Xiaotao's fifth soul skill creates a fiery red phoenix mark on the ground beneath her targets.

• Used after breaking through the frontline clash between Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng. 56
• Functions as a large-area offensive technique against multiple nearby opponents. 56
• Restrained Qian Yuan during Shrek Academy's team battle against Douling Royal Academy. 116

Phoenix Meteor Shower

Ma Xiaotao can unleash Phoenix Meteor Shower, a wide-area fire attack capable of blanketing a large section of the battlefield.

• Used against Douling Royal Academy's spiritual illusion array, forcibly covering more than half the battlefield and blasting away the array's user. 116

Assault-System Combat

As a rank 69 Assault System Battle Soul Emperor, Ma Xiaotao specializes in direct, high-speed engagement.

• Charges into battle with arrow-like speed. 56
• Combines long-range fire attacks with close-quarters strikes. 56
• Was assigned to lead one of the Inner Court training teams due to her higher cultivation. 55
• Possesses aerial mobility and used flight to bypass Yu Mengdi and charge directly toward Tang Xiaolei. 108
• Can continue fighting while seriously injured, though doing so risks aggravating her condition and harming her future cultivation. 70 104

Relationships

• Huo Yuhao — Initially encountered him while consumed by evil fire at Sea God Lake; he secretly planted the Ice God Seed in her mind. The seed later makes her instinctively regard him as exceptionally trustworthy and remains under his control. 19 22 38 39 55
• Yan Shaozhe — Her teacher, who repeatedly warns her to stop cultivating because of her evil-fire defect. 20
• Ling Luochen — Inner Court teammate; Ling Luochen frequently praises Huo Yuhao to Ma Xiaotao and was selected onto Ma Xiaotao's team during the training match. 39 55 Their ice and fire soul skills can conflict in battle, and Ling Luochen later challenged Ma Xiaotao's belief that Huo Yuhao was obligated to fight for Shrek Academy. 108 109
• Dai Yueheng — Fellow Inner Court Seven Devil and opposing captain during the squad training battle. 55 56 He later disregarded Ma Xiaotao's agreed formation during Shrek's match against True Heaven Academy, contributing to their defeat. 108
• Ning Tian — Reserve-team member selected by Ma Xiaotao for her training-match lineup. 55
• Xuan Zi — Senior Shrek figure whom Ma Xiaotao defended when Du Busi accused him of responsibility for the Death God Envoy disaster. 118
• Jing Hongchen — Brought Shrek Academy footage confirming Ma Xiaotao's fall into Evil Soul Mastery; he stated that the Sun Moon Empire would seek her as an ordinary Evil Soul Master rather than publicly identify her as a Shrek disciple. 133

Notable Quotes

“Just because my martial soul carries an innate defect, must I give up the chance to become a powerhouse?” 20