Martial Soul

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Martial Soul (武魂)
Occupation/Role	Foundation of a Soul Master's cultivation, combat potential, and Soul Ring acquisition 30 41
Status	Active
First Appearance	1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Vermilion Bird awakening — Innate Soul Power Level 30	1 4 22	Xiao Changge awakens the Vermilion Bird, described as a divine beast Martial Soul. Level-30 Innate Full Soul Power is presented as unprecedented.
Power depleted under Shrek	1 8 22	Ma Xiaotao repeatedly absorbs Xiao Changge's Soul Power and Martial Soul energy to suppress her Evil Fire, leaving his cultivation severely diminished.
Level 10 → Level 19; first Soul Ring	4 7	After defeating the 15,000-year Golden-Winged Fire Crane, Xiao Changge absorbs its Soul Ring with Electrolux neutralizing the beast's Soul Shock.
Second Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring; Rank 29	14 35 38	Xiao Changge defeats the 40,000-year Four-Winged Fire Phosphorus Bird and absorbs its ring. By his arrival in the Sun Moon Empire, both first and second rings are black Ten-Thousand-Year rings.
Level 30	41	Absorbing the Fallen Heart Flame Sub-Flame raises Xiao Changge to Level 30; further Soul Power growth requires a third Soul Ring.

Background

Martial Souls are awakened power manifestations that determine a person's potential as a Soul Master. In the current era, commoners without money or access to a Soul Master can be unable to awaken theirs for years; Xiao Changge's awakening was delayed by twelve years before an unnamed Sun Moon Empire Soul Engineer assisted him 4.

Xiao Changge's awakened Martial Soul is the Vermilion Bird, a fire-aligned divine beast Martial Soul. Its awakening also allowed the remnant soul Electrolux to enter Xiao Changge's mental world and gradually recover through the Martial Soul's power 1 6.

Shrek Academy subsequently killed the Soul Engineer who awakened Xiao Changge's Martial Soul, then forced Xiao Changge to supply Ma Xiaotao with Soul Power and Martial Soul energy. This exploitation damaged his cultivation and reduced the quality of the Martial Soul he could display 1 8 22.

Appearance

The Vermilion Bird is described as a crimson divine bird associated with fire, light, vitality, and undying flames. Its current manifestation is believed to be incomplete rather than its full form 21.

• Crimson divine-bird form associated with the southern direction and fire 21
• Connected in legend to the Seven Southern Mansions: Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen 21
• Raises the surrounding temperature when released 35
• Exerts an instinctive suppressive effect on other beast-type Martial Souls 8

Martial Soul Types

Type	Known examples	Notes
Beast Martial Soul	Vermilion Bird, Evil Fire Phoenix	Beast-type Martial Souls may exert pressure on weaker or lower-status beast types 8 12
Plant Martial Soul	Blue Silver Grass	Tang San's Blue Silver Grass is discussed as a control-oriented Martial Soul 20
Weapon Martial Soul	Clear Sky Hammer	Tang San possesses the Clear Sky Hammer as his second Martial Soul 20
Elemental Martial Soul	Ice Element	Ling Luochen's Ice Element Martial Soul is classified as a control-system type 22
Twin Martial Souls	Tang San's Blue Silver Grass and Clear Sky Hammer	A wielder may possess more than one Martial Soul 20

Soul Rings and Cultivation

Mechanic	Details
Soul Ring source	Soul Beasts can leave Soul Rings when hunted; the ring's age corresponds to the Soul Beast's cultivation. Soul Bones may also appear, though rarely 30.
Advancement limit	A Soul Master who reaches a multiple of ten in Soul Power must absorb a Soul Ring, or an equivalent method, before continuing to advance 41.
Ring compatibility	A wielder's Martial Soul quality, physical strength, mental power, and the Soul Beast's attributes jointly determine what Soul Ring they can endure 20.
Ten-Thousand-Year danger	Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts retain enough intelligence for their remnant soul to form a Soul Shock, which attacks the absorber's sea of consciousness 5 7.
Martial Soul evolution	Flame-based cultivation can further strengthen a fire-aligned Martial Soul's user; Xiao Changge specifically chooses fire-attribute Soul Beasts to improve his flames and Mantra of Burning 12 14.

Abilities & Characteristics

Divine-Beast Pressure

The Vermilion Bird's Soul Power suppresses other beast-type Martial Souls. A restaurant owner with a beast Martial Soul immediately senses this pressure when Xiao Changge reveals it 8.

• Identified as a divine beast Martial Soul rather than merely a high-grade beast type 4 6
• Its status is stated to surpass that of phoenix-type Martial Souls in Xiao Changge's original mythology 6
• Its released presence is strong enough to attract the attention of the Emperor Auspicious Beast in the Star Dou Great Forest 2 3

Fire Affinity

The Vermilion Bird is intrinsically associated with powerful fire. Its full flame power has not yet been displayed, but it is compatible with Xiao Changge's flame-based cultivation and combat methods 6 21.

• Raises ambient temperature upon manifestation 35
• Can potentially contribute its own flames to the Buddha Fury Fire Lotus alongside absorbed beast flames 21
• Fire-attribute avian Soul Beasts are selected to complement its nature 6 12

Spiritual Link to Electrolux

Electrolux entered Xiao Changge's mental world when the Vermilion Bird awakened and states that the Martial Soul's origin has helped restore his remnant soul 1 5.

• Allows Electrolux to observe and advise Xiao Changge from within his mental world 1 6
• Provides Electrolux with enough recovered strength to counter the Soul Shocks of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings 7 14

Incomplete Awakening

Electrolux believes the Vermilion Bird has not fully awakened because Xiao Changge's body was too weak to bear its complete power when it first manifested. This remains his assessment rather than a confirmed fact 21.

• Ma Xiaotao's ability to drain its power is cited as evidence that its true defenses were not active 21
• Its awakening may progress as Xiao Changge becomes stronger, potentially at Titled Douluo or god-level cultivation 21
• Electrolux believes Xiao Changge must earn the Martial Soul's recognition before its full power responds to him 21

Relationships

• Xiao Changge — wielder of the Vermilion Bird Martial Soul; originally awakened it with Innate Soul Power Level 30 1 4.
• Electrolux — remnant soul sustained by the Vermilion Bird's power after entering Xiao Changge's mental world at its awakening 1 5.
• Ma Xiaotao — exploited Xiao Changge's Soul Power and Martial Soul energy to alleviate the side effects of her Evil Fire Martial Soul 1 12 22.
• Unnamed Sun Moon Empire Soul Engineer — helped Xiao Changge awaken the Vermilion Bird before being killed by Shrek personnel 4 22.
• Emperor Auspicious Beast — senses the Vermilion Bird's divine-beast aura from the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest 2 3.

Trivia

• Xiao Changge conceals the Vermilion Bird's true identity while within Shrek's sphere of influence, claiming it is only a top-tier Martial Soul 8.
• Jing Hongchen's academy class learns of the Martial Soul alongside Xiao Changge's two Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings, causing immediate astonishment among the students 43.