Ma Huoxin

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ma Huoxin (麻火心)
Alias(es)	Uncle Ma; Martial Uncle Ma
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Camellia Village
Occupation/Role	Corpse driver; Gu practitioner; Hei Moyun's junior brother
Status	Alive; blinded by Blood Mantis Gu poison
First Appearance	Chapter 6

Background / History

Ma Huoxin is a Miao corpse driver from Camellia Village, located beneath the Shiwan Mountains near Clearwater Creek. He is the junior brother of Hei Moyun, while Wu Daochao is their senior brother. Of the three martial brothers, Ma Huoxin specializes in corpse-driving, Hei Moyun was a gu physician, and Wu Daochao practiced shamanic, ghost, and Daoist arts. 6 23

While tracking the zombie Xiao Tianxing, Ma Huoxin discovers that Xiao Kunlun is Hei Moyun's apprentice. After confirming Kunlun's identity, he brings the boy toward Camellia Village, initially accompanied by eight walking corpses. 6

Ma Huoxin later meets a mysterious man in black to negotiate over Xiao Tianxing. The man deploys a Blood Mantis Gu, which enters through Ma Huoxin's scalp and poisons him. Though critically afflicted, Ma Huoxin orders Kunlun to command the walking corpses and attacks the man himself. 7

Kunlun draws the Blood Mantis into his own body and neutralizes it with the Innate Insect and Three-Corpse Snake Gu, then drains Ma Huoxin's poisoned blood. Ma Huoxin survives but loses his sight. 8 10

When a walking corpse returns carrying Hei Moyun's bag of medicinal herbs, Ma Huoxin tells Kunlun that Hei Moyun has died and that a remnant of his soul guided the corpse back to Camellia Village. 17

Appearance

Ma Huoxin is bald and commonly wears a bamboo hat while traveling with his corpses. After the Blood Mantis incident, his eyes are covered with white cloth or gauze. 6 17 42

• Shiny bald head. 6
• Carries and strikes a Yin Gong to direct walking corpses. 6 7
• Uses a Black Snake Staff after Wu Daochao's defeat. 42
• His courtyard is associated with the strong smell of medicinal herbs. 10 17
• Remains sensitive to scents, including corpse qi, despite blindness. 17 43

Personality

Ma Huoxin is blunt, foul-tempered, and quick to curse, particularly when Kunlun misunderstands corpse-driving or acts recklessly. Despite this rough manner, he is protective of his martial nephew and repeatedly insists that Kunlun remain in Camellia Village rather than search alone for Hei Moyun. 6 10

He is pragmatic and resourceful under pressure. When Qingya Village threatens Kunlun and his companions, Ma Huoxin bluffs Ma Shi with an empty jar by claiming it contains the Golden Silkworm Gu, relying on its reputation to secure their withdrawal. 42 43

Abilities & Skills

Corpse-Driving

Ma Huoxin commands walking corpses through a Yin Gong, spoken Miao incantations, and corpse-driving rhythms.

• Travels at night with walking corpses; corpse-driving is described as a trade that hides by day and travels by night. 6
• Commands eight walking corpses during his pursuit of Xiao Tianxing. 6 7
• Entrusts Kunlun with the Yin Gong and instructs him to strike it three times if intervention is needed. 6 7
• Uses corpse-driving methods capable of dealing with different kinds of zombies and corpses. 45
• Identifies familiar corpse qi, including Xiao Tianxing's scent near Corpse-Raising Cave. 43

Gu Arts

Ma Huoxin is knowledgeable in Gu insects and employs venomous creatures in combat and tracking.

• Releases Life-Taking Centipedes to force a hidden opponent into revealing himself. 7
• Recognizes the Blood Mantis Gu as far beyond his ability to counter after previously killing a Green Mantis Gu. 7
• Understands the danger and reputation of the Golden Silkworm Gu, though he cannot control it himself. 43
• Shares knowledge of zombies and corpse classifications with Kunlun. 45

Qingfu Larva Tracking

Ma Huoxin uses Qingfu Larvae to trace a marked target through their mother insect.

• Places a Qingfu Larva on Kunlun while tracking Xiao Tianxing. 6
• Later places one on Xiao Yudao so he can locate her if she is endangered or lost. 40
• Uses the larva's restless movement to track Kunlun's group near Qingya Village. 40 42

Tactical Deception

Ma Huoxin uses intimidation and misdirection to compensate for disadvantageous situations.

• Confronts Ma Shi with a jar he presents as the Golden Silkworm Gu, forcing Qingya Village to back down. 42
• Reveals afterward that the jar was empty and that he had exploited the Golden Silkworm's fearsome reputation. 43
• Warns Ma Erlei that this kind of bluff requires Kunlun's composure and cannot be copied casually. 43

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Yin Gong — used to command walking corpses through specific rhythms. 6 7
• Walking corpses — initially travels with eight; later arrives at Qingya Village with one corpse that had returned carrying Hei Moyun's bag. 6 17 42
• Qingfu Larvae — tracking insects used to locate marked individuals. 6 40
• Life-Taking Centipedes — venomous centipedes released against the mysterious man in black. 7
• Black Snake Staff — formerly Wu Daochao's weapon; wielded by Ma Huoxin during the Qingya Village confrontation. 42

Relationships

• Hei Moyun — junior martial brother; recognizes Kunlun as Hei Moyun's apprentice and takes responsibility for protecting him. 6 10 17
• Wu Daochao — senior martial brother; Ma Huoxin considers him highly skilled in shamanic, ghost, and Daoist arts but weak in Gu arts. 23 43
• Xiao Kunlun — martial nephew and mentee figure; Ma Huoxin shelters him in Camellia Village, teaches him about corpses, and intervenes to rescue him from Qingya Village. 6 10 42 45
• Xiao Yudao — daughter; Ma Huoxin tracks her with a Qingfu Larva to keep her safe. 40
• Ma Erlei — associated with Ma Huoxin's household and refers to him as Uncle Huoxin; Ma Huoxin encourages him to learn from Kunlun. 17 43
• Xiao Tianxing — zombie Ma Huoxin pursues; their history is tied to the mysterious man in black and the search for Kunlun. 6 7 43
• Ma Shi — Qingya Village's clan chief; Ma Huoxin forces him to release Kunlun's group through the Golden Silkworm bluff. 42 43

Story Role / Major Arcs

Meeting Kunlun

Ma Huoxin encounters Kunlun while tracking Xiao Tianxing, learns of his connection to Hei Moyun, and escorts him toward Camellia Village with his walking corpses. He disguises Kunlun as a little zombie before taking him to a secret meeting. 6

Blood Mantis Incident

The mysterious man in black poisons Ma Huoxin with a Blood Mantis Gu during a failed negotiation over Xiao Tianxing. Kunlun saves him, but the poison leaves Ma Huoxin blind. 7 8

Guardian of Camellia Village

Ma Huoxin provides Kunlun with refuge, discourages him from investigating the man in black, and later reveals Hei Moyun's death. He remains a source of guidance as Kunlun develops as a Gu practitioner. 10 17 45

Qingya Village Rescue

Following the signal from Xiao Yudao's Qingfu Larva, Ma Huoxin reaches Qingya Village as Kunlun's Gu duel concludes. He uses a false Golden Silkworm Gu threat to force Ma Shi to let Kunlun, Xiao Yudao, and Ma Erlei leave. 40 42 43

Trivia

• Ma Huoxin's household skill is corpse-driving rather than the Golden Silkworm secret art. 43
• He considers a Jade Corpse a particularly special kind of zombie: typically female, humanlike in appearance and intelligence, and sustained by moonlight rather than blood. 45
• His blindness does not prevent him from identifying people by scent or detecting corpse qi. 17 43