Ma Xiaotao

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Ma Xiaotao (马小桃)
Gender	Female
Species/Race	Human
Age	17 118
Affiliation	Shrek Academy Inner Court; Shrek Seven Monsters
Occupation/Role	Inner Court disciple; captain of Shrek's current Seven Monsters; level 74 Soul Saint; inheritor undertaking the Fire God's Nine Trials 118 150 202
Martial Soul	Fire Phoenix (formerly Evil Fire Phoenix); Extreme Fire attribute 123 125
Soul Ring Configuration	Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black; seventh ring obtained from the sixty-thousand-year Great Sun Phoenix 125 170
Ancestor	Ma Hongjun 202
Divine Inheritance	Fire God's Nine Trials, accepted but not yet shown completed 202
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 40

Power Progression

Chapter	Advancement
43	Revealed as a six-ringed Soul Emperor with the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul. 43
53–54	Developed a temporary cold-and-heat Soul Power resonance with Huo Yuhao through repeated suppression sessions and Spiritual Link. 53 54
93	Huo Yuhao's Titan Divine Blood rendered their former natural resonance incompatible; he instead suppressed her Evil Fire through superior Soul Power. 93
118	Broke through to level 70 as a seventeen-year-old Quasi-Soul Saint after her Evil Fire's hidden danger was nearly resolved. 118
121	Performed the Ice-Fire Divine Phoenix Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Huo Yuhao and defeated the sixty-thousand-year Great Sun Phoenix. 121
123–125	Absorbed the Great Sun Phoenix's soul ring, evolved her Evil Fire Phoenix into a true Fire Phoenix, attained Extreme Fire, stabilized her Martial Soul origin, and completed her seventh Soul Ring breakthrough. 123 125
149–150	Demonstrated level 72 Soul Saint strength and Extreme Fire Phoenix power against Death's Hand and the Death God's Messenger. 149 150
165	Demonstrated Extreme Fire's ability to melt fifth- and sixth-grade Soul Tools and destroy their internal Core Formations, winning three consecutive semifinal individual matches against Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. 165
172	Revealed Fire Phoenix Avatar in tournament combat, transforming into a phoenix with a wingspan exceeding thirty meters, destroying Ji Juechen's Silence domain, and overwhelming his Exoskeleton Soul-Dueling Armor. 172
175–176	With Gongyang Mo's enhancement skills and expenditure of life essence, overcame Bing Hanxue's domain suppression and fully formed her Fire Phoenix Avatar; Xu Mingzi's Starlight Chains subsequently shattered the transformation and sealed her seventh Soul Skill. 175 176
202	Reached level 74 and accepted the Fire God's Nine Trials, gaining an opportunity to pursue the divine inheritance her ancestor Ma Hongjun had failed to complete. 202

Background

Ma Xiaotao is an Inner Court disciple of Shrek Academy and the adoptive daughter of Martial Soul Department Dean Yan Shaozhe. Her former Evil Fire Phoenix granted exceptional cultivation speed, but its accumulated Evil Fire caused recurring backlash, irritability, and berserk episodes. She compulsively cultivated despite knowing it worsened the condition. 40 42 48

Her loss of control at Sea God Lake brings her into contact with Huo Yuhao. His Extreme Ice suppresses her Evil Fire with unprecedented effectiveness, ending an episode that had driven her into a violent rampage. 41 42 43

Yan Shaozhe subsequently investigates Huo Yuhao and attempts to arrange a Marriage Agreement between them, intending to permanently secure his help in suppressing her condition. Ma Xiaotao agrees to the agreement in principle, though Huo Yuhao refuses to sign it because he already has a fiancée. 48 49

After Huo Yuhao's Titan Divine Blood causes their original natural compatibility to disappear, he continues helping her through forced suppression and later through Extreme Water. When Ma Xiaotao attempts to absorb the Great Sun Phoenix's sixty-thousand-year Soul Ring, Huo Yuhao saves her from backlash, reconstructs her Martial Soul origin through a Spiritual Link, and removes the Evil Fire completely. Her Martial Soul is reborn as a noble Fire Phoenix with true Extreme Fire. 93 119 123 125

She is a descendant of Ma Hongjun, who, according to the Shrek Inner Court's secret records, once pursued the Fire God's inheritance but failed because his foundation was insufficient. After reaching level 74, Ma Xiaotao is personally offered the same god's Nine Trials and accepts the opportunity. In the Divine Realm, the other Elemental Gods question the Fire God's choice because her bloodline is connected to divine beasts, warning that his decision may violate divine rules and provoke the God of Destruction. 202

Appearance

Ma Xiaotao is a mature, striking woman with an intense fire-associated presence.

• Long scarlet-red hair. 40
• Pale pink, vertical-pupiled eyes that flare dark red when her emotions or Evil Fire surge. 65
• Often wears a fitted red combat outfit. 51 52
• Manifests blazing phoenix wings in combat and while flying. 40 52
• Her body formerly radiated oppressive and unstable heat when the Evil Fire became agitated. 40 65
• Following her Martial Soul evolution, her former wild and vicious aura is replaced by the noble, brilliant presence of a pure Extreme Fire Phoenix. 123 126
• Wears her crimson hair tied high when announcing her level-70 breakthrough before the tournament team. 118
• Her Fire Phoenix Avatar manifests as an enormous crimson-gold phoenix with a wingspan exceeding thirty meters. 172

Personality

Ma Xiaotao is forthright, emotionally intense, and impulsive. She tends to act before considering consequences, whether forcibly taking Huo Yuhao to Sea God Island for suppression or confronting Yan Shaozhe over Huo Yuhao's treatment. 42 52 63 66

Her former Evil Fire magnified her volatility and drove an unhealthy fixation on cultivation. Once Huo Yuhao's Extreme Ice gave her relief from the condition, she became strongly dependent on both the suppression and Huo Yuhao himself. 48 51 53

Despite her recklessness, she is fiercely protective of Huo Yuhao. When Yan Shaozhe withholds Huo Yuhao's core disciple position to pressure him, Ma Xiaotao demands that the dean personally apologize and restore it. 63 66

After her Evil Fire is removed, Ma Xiaotao becomes noticeably calmer and more self-assured, though she retains her aggressive combat style and straightforward approach to problems. Her gratitude, reliance, and attraction toward Huo Yuhao deepen into an intense determination to become strong enough to stand beside him. 125 126 127

Her confidence can become arrogance, especially when defending Shrek's reputation. After defeating Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, she dismisses Minghuang Academy's Soul Tool tactics and assumes that her Extreme Fire will neutralize them. Consecutive defeats suffered by her teammates shake this confidence and drive her to fight Ji Juechen with unusual seriousness. 166 168 169 170

Her pride remains a source of dangerous escalation even without Evil Fire. Humiliated when Ji Juechen cuts apart one of her fire wings, she refuses to retreat and unleashes Fire Phoenix Avatar. She briefly acknowledges her mistake in nearly killing him, but ultimately places Shrek's honor above her remorse. In the subsequent team battle, however, she also demonstrates tactical awareness by immediately ordering an assault to interrupt Xu Mingzi's threatening technique. 172 173

Huo Yuhao's departure without saying goodbye initially leaves her feeling abandoned, but she turns that hurt into a concrete cultivation goal. She resolves to reach level 90 before thirty and obtain a hundred-thousand-year ninth Soul Ring, believing that such a foundation is necessary to keep pace with him. Her immediate acceptance of the Fire God's Nine Trials reflects her willingness to pursue a dangerous opportunity rather than remain passive. 202

Abilities & Skills

Evil Fire Phoenix

Ma Xiaotao formerly possessed the Evil Fire Phoenix, a top-tier fire-attribute beast Martial Soul. It provided rapid cultivation and devastating phoenix flames, but carried a fatal backlash that could overwhelm her reason. 40 48 93

• Could manifest fiery phoenix wings for high-speed flight. 40 52
• Her flames were powerful enough to melt stone, scorch the ground to ash, and boil nearby water. 41
• Her sixth soul skill, Phoenix Meteor Shower, can devastate a large area; she used it against assassins in Shrek City. 103
• The Martial Soul's Evil Fire accumulated through cultivation and could force her into a berserk state. 40 48
• Extreme Ice initially suppressed the Evil Fire through natural resonance with Huo Yuhao's incomplete second Martial Soul. 42 43 53

Fire Phoenix and Extreme Fire

After absorbing the Great Sun Phoenix's sixty-thousand-year Soul Ring, Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire Phoenix was purified and reborn as a true Fire Phoenix. The transformation removed the Evil Fire's hidden danger, completed her Phoenix bloodline, and granted her pure Extreme Fire. 123 125

• Her seventh Soul Ring grants Martial Soul Avatar, obtained alongside her breakthrough to Soul Saint. 125
• Her Extreme Fire Phoenix flames are crimson-gold, possessing enough heat to melt stone and defensive structures into lava. 149
• As a level 72 Soul Saint, she can devastate an entire bandit camp with Phoenix Meteor Shower. 149 150
• She is regarded as one of Shrek's “Living Volcanoes” and serves as the strongest core combatant of Shrek's current tournament team. 149 153
• Her purification allows her to cultivate without constantly dividing her attention to restraining Evil Fire, greatly accelerating her advancement. 118
• Her heat can melt fifth- and sixth-grade Soul Tool cannon barrels and damage their internal Core Formations before their users can fire. This makes her especially effective against conventional Soul Engineers. 165 166
• Her Fire Phoenix Avatar greatly amplifies her Martial Soul's power, allowing her to ignite Ji Juechen's sword qi, destroy his Silence domain, melt the obsidian arena, and severely damage his armor. 172
• Gongyang Mo's support can enhance her physical strength and resistance to opposing attributes, accelerating her Avatar's formation and reducing the suppression imposed by Bing Hanxue's ice domain. 175 176

Her Extreme Fire is not invulnerable. Huo Yuhao identifies it as having only recently entered the initial stage of extremity; Ji Juechen's Silence domain weakens its activity and explosive force, while his armor amplifies his sword techniques enough to cut through it. The armor's repulsive force field also prevents her ordinary flames from reaching its internal formations. 171 172

Bing Hanxue's Extreme Ice exceeds her flames in elemental purity and can suppress even the formation of her Martial Soul Avatar. Ma Xiaotao's higher cultivation and Gongyang Mo's enhancements allow her to resist this disadvantage, but Xu Mingzi's Starlight Chains bypass her heat and forcibly seal her seventh Soul Skill. This sealing occurs during the tournament final and is not established as a permanent loss of the ability. 174 175 176

Known Soul Skills

Soul Skill	Ring/Classification	Demonstrated Effect
Phoenix Fire Line	First Soul Skill	Projects concentrated phoenix flames in a direct attack. 170 172
Bath of Fire Phoenix	Second Soul Skill	Enhances her fiery combat state; used with Phoenix Wings Soaring during her attack on armored Ji Juechen. 171
Phoenix Wings Soaring	Third Soul Skill	Enhances her wing-assisted aerial assault; used in high-speed combat against the Great Sun Phoenix and Ji Juechen. 121 171
Phoenix Sky-Shattering Strike	Fourth Soul Skill	Delivers a powerful offensive strike, used to close off escape routes and overwhelm an opponent alongside other flame attacks. 170 172
Phoenix Fire Feathers	Soul Skill; ring assignment not specified in the cited battle	Releases a torrential barrage of fire feathers. 170
Phoenix Piercing Cloud Strike	Soul Skill; ring assignment not specified in the cited battle	Used as part of her relentless assault on the Great Sun Phoenix. 121
Phoenix Meteor Shower	Sixth Soul Skill	Calls down large numbers of destructive fire meteors; its Extreme Fire version can melt an arena and devastate enemy formations. 103 149 170 176
Fire Phoenix Avatar	Seventh Soul Skill; Martial Soul Avatar	Transforms her into an enormous Fire Phoenix and releases the full power of her Martial Soul. 125 172

Soul Power Fusion

Repeated exchanges of Soul Power with Huo Yuhao initially allowed her Evil Fire Phoenix to resonate with his incomplete Extreme Ice Martial Soul. Their power temporarily created an extreme cold-and-heat energy comparable to Martial Soul Fusion power. 53 54

• The original fusion produced Soul Power of a quality higher than Huo Yuhao's ordinary Extreme Ice. 54
• It required cooperation from both Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao; Huo Yuhao could not independently reproduce it. 54
• This initial resonance ended after Huo Yuhao's second Martial Soul evolved into Titan Divine Blood, leaving their Martial Souls fundamentally incompatible at that stage. 93
• Despite that incompatibility, their opposing ice and fire attributes later formed a new Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Ice-Fire Divine Phoenix, during their battle with the Great Sun Phoenix. 121
• Huo Yuhao later determined that he could not recreate Ice-Fire Divine Phoenix alone until he gained genuine mastery of Extreme Fire. 122

Forced Suppression

After Huo Yuhao's Martial Soul evolved, he could still suppress Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire through overwhelmingly superior Soul Power rather than mutual compatibility. 93

• His Soul Power pinned the Evil Fire deep within her meridians. 93
• Her body could only endure the infusion for about one hour before reaching capacity. 93
• Continued cleansing began altering the origin of her Martial Soul and initially risked causing the Evil Fire Phoenix to collapse. 93
• Huo Yuhao ultimately prevented that collapse by guiding her through two controlled attribute reversals, preserving her Phoenix form while purifying it into a stable Extreme Fire Martial Soul. 124 125

Fire God's Nine Trials

At level 74, Ma Xiaotao is transported from her bedroom on Sea God Island into a realm filled with scarlet-gold flames. Although the surrounding fire would ordinarily threaten a Soul Saint, she experiences no scorching heat, and her Soul Power flows unusually smoothly. The Fire God appears as a towering figure formed from flames of law and offers her his Nine Trials. 202

• She accepts immediately, recognizing the inheritance from secret records concerning her ancestor Ma Hongjun. 202
• The offer establishes her as a divine inheritance candidate; no completed trial or attained godhood is shown in the available account. 202
• The Fire God's selection is controversial among the Elemental Gods because of her bloodline's connection to divine beasts. He knowingly risks divine punishment in attempting to pass on his position. 202

Relationships

• Huo Yuhao — Junior whose Extreme Ice initially suppresses her Evil Fire. Their first encounter occurs during her berserk episode, after which she grows dependent on his help and openly develops feelings for him; he refuses the academy's proposed Marriage Agreement. Huo Yuhao later saves her during her seventh Soul Ring absorption and reconstructs her Martial Soul, causing her affection and resolve to become even stronger. 42 48 49 51 123 126 127 His absence disrupts her meditation, and she anxiously awaits his return to Shrek's border camp before the tournament. Later advances from her are unwanted by Huo Yuhao, who seeks comfort with Ju Zi. When he subsequently leaves Shrek without saying goodbye, she resolves to grow strong enough to catch up with him. 86 147 184 202
• Yan Shaozhe — Adoptive father and Dean of Shrek's Martial Soul Department. He seeks to arrange her engagement to Huo Yuhao for strategic and medical reasons, but she later confronts him for using Huo Yuhao's core disciple position as leverage. 42 48 63 66
• Wang Dong — Rival for Huo Yuhao's attention. Wang Dong reacts angrily when Ma Xiaotao takes Huo Yuhao away, while Ma Xiaotao becomes jealous after finding Wang Dong in an ambiguous position with him. 42 52 64 65
• Ning Tian — One of the students Ma Xiaotao indirectly endangers when she uses Phoenix Meteor Shower to eliminate assassins; Huo Yuhao shields Ning Tian and Wang Dong from the attack. 103
• Ju Zi — Huo Yuhao's publicly acknowledged fiancée, whose arrival at Star Emperor Hotel intensifies the romantic tension surrounding him. Ma Xiaotao is among those close to Huo Yuhao whose relationship with him becomes more complicated by Ju Zi's declaration. 150 Ju Zi's preparations for Minghuang Academy provide effective counters to Ma Xiaotao's Extreme Fire through advanced armor, superior ice power, and a sealing technique. 166 171 174 176
• Wang Yan — Supervising teacher who shares responsibility for Shrek's tournament decisions. Together they allow reserve members to participate in the semifinal individual matches for experience; he later leads the defeated delegation back to Shrek. 161 184
• Gongyang Mo — Shrek teammate whose Rainbow Dragon support strengthens her in tournament battles. During the final, he expends life essence to help her overcome Bing Hanxue's suppression and complete Fire Phoenix Avatar. 165 175 176
• Ji Juechen — Minghuang Academy sword specialist whom she faces after Shrek suffers two consecutive individual defeats. His domain and armor force her to activate Fire Phoenix Avatar; she wins but nearly kills him, feeling only brief remorse before reaffirming her loyalty to Shrek's honor. 170 171 172
• Bing Hanxue / Snow Empress — Minghuang Academy opponent whose superior Extreme Ice suppresses her flames during the final team battle. Their confrontation forces Ma Xiaotao to rely on Gongyang Mo's support to fully form her Avatar. 174 175 176
• Xu Mingzi — Minghuang Academy control specialist whose Starlight Chains shatter her Fire Phoenix Avatar and seal her seventh Soul Skill, eliminating Shrek's last major opportunity to reverse the final battle. 176 177
• Ye Guyi — Minghuang Academy captain whose public kiss with Huo Yuhao after Shrek's defeat leaves Ma Xiaotao shocked and irritated. 177
• Ma Hongjun — Ancestor whose failed pursuit of the Fire God's Nine Trials is recorded in Shrek's secret archives. His experience provides the historical context for her acceptance of the same inheritance. 202
• Fire God — Deity who personally offers her his Nine Trials. He selects her despite warnings from other Elemental Gods about the potential illegality of choosing an inheritor with her bloodline connections. 202

Story Role / Major Arcs

Evil Fire Rampage

Ma Xiaotao loses control near Sea God Lake and attacks Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong as a berserk six-ringed Soul Emperor. Huo Yuhao's Extreme Ice restores her clarity and suppresses the Evil Fire, but she forcibly takes him to Sea God Island in her desperation for relief. 40 41 42 43

During this first suppression encounter, she kisses Huo Yuhao and subsequently feels embarrassed and guilty. Wang Dong's anger over both his removal and the kiss establishes an early source of romantic rivalry. 42 43

Marriage Agreement Dispute

Yan Shaozhe sees Huo Yuhao as the solution to Ma Xiaotao's condition and proposes an engagement between them. Ma Xiaotao hesitates over their age difference but accepts the idea of an agreement; Huo Yuhao refuses it. 44 48 49

Repeated Suppression and Martial Soul Resonance

Ma Xiaotao repeatedly takes Huo Yuhao to Sea God Island to suppress her Evil Fire. Their frequent Soul Power exchanges create a developing resonance, culminating in a dangerous Spiritual Link experiment and the formation of a temporary extreme cold-and-heat fusion power. 51 52 53 54

Conflict with Yan Shaozhe

After learning that Yan Shaozhe denied Huo Yuhao a core disciple position to pressure him, Ma Xiaotao storms into the dean's office and demands an apology. Yan Shaozhe refuses and confines her to the Inner Court, forbidding her from seeing Huo Yuhao. 63 66

Reunion and Changed Compatibility

After Huo Yuhao returns with the fully awakened Titan Divine Blood, Ma Xiaotao is stunned by his transformed appearance. Their previous mutual resonance has vanished; although he can still suppress her Evil Fire by force, his Soul Power may dangerously alter the origin of her Martial Soul. 93

His prolonged absence also reveals an emotional dependence beyond her medical need: she cannot settle into meditation because she misses him, describing the agitation within her as personal “heartfire” rather than Evil Fire. 86

Assassin Ambush

During the assassination attempt outside Shrek City, Ma Xiaotao arrives with Phoenix Meteor Shower and destroys the attackers. Huo Yuhao protects Wang Dong and Ning Tian from the attack's aftermath, leaving Ma Xiaotao distraught when he collapses in her arms. 103

When Huo Yuhao awakens in the infirmary a week later, she embraces him and apologizes for injuring him with her sixth Soul Skill. He reassures her but has to remind her that her forceful embrace is nearly suffocating him. 107

Soul Saint Breakthrough

Freed from the constant burden of suppressing Evil Fire, Ma Xiaotao's cultivation rapidly reaches level 70. As Shrek prepares for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, she declares her intention to obtain an Extreme Fire seventh Soul Ring and evolve her Martial Soul completely. 118 119

Dai Yueheng's departure following the White Tiger Duke's Estate crisis leaves her as Shrek's sole remaining Soul Emperor before her breakthrough. She confidently accepts the increased burden, promising to carry the team and anticipating that Shrek will soon gain a Soul Saint instead. 117 118

Great Sun Phoenix Hunt

Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao travel to the Southern Volcanic Archipelago to hunt the sixty-thousand-year Great Sun Phoenix. With Huo Yuhao suppressing the volcanic battlefield through Extreme Ice and supplying precise Spirit Detection, Ma Xiaotao joins him in unleashing the Ice-Fire Divine Phoenix fusion attack, allowing her to kill the soul beast and begin absorbing its Soul Ring. 120 121

Fire Phoenix Rebirth

The Great Sun Phoenix's Extreme Fire nearly burns Ma Xiaotao to death during absorption. Huo Yuhao forms a Spiritual Link with her, suppresses the backlash, and takes control when her new Fire Phoenix begins reversing into Extreme Ice. He guides her through a controlled ice-and-fire reconstruction, stabilizing her Fire Phoenix, eliminating the Evil Fire completely, and allowing her to become a true Extreme Fire Soul Saint. 122 123 124 125

Death's Hand Extermination

As a level 72 Soul Saint, Ma Xiaotao annihilates Death's Hand's bandit camp with an Extreme Fire Phoenix Meteor Shower. After Huo Yuhao freezes the surviving Death God's Messenger, she destroys the Evil Soul Master with a single flaming punch. 149 150

Tournament Dominance and Sun Moon Semifinal

Ma Xiaotao's level-72 cultivation and purified Extreme Fire more than compensate for Dai Yueheng's absence. Shrek's main team overwhelms its early opponents and reaches the semifinals without serious difficulty, leaving the reserve members largely confined to watching from the stands. 152 153

During the semifinal against Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, she and Wang Yan allow Xu Sanshi, Bei Bei, and Huo Yuhao to participate in the individual matches for experience. After their appearances, she takes the field herself and wins three consecutive matches, melting the opponents' Soul Tools with Extreme Fire. In the subsequent team battle, she leads the frontal assault while Huo Yuhao supplies comprehensive battlefield information; Shrek wins in under five minutes. 161 165

Before the final, she shares the team's confidence that Minghuang Academy's Soul Tool-based tactics will be ineffective against her flames. Huo Yuhao privately disagrees, recognizing that Ju Zi is unlikely to challenge Shrek without preparing a countermeasure. 166

Individual Final against Ji Juechen

After Chen Zifeng and Yao Haoxuan suffer crushing defeats, Ma Xiaotao enters the arena determined to restore Shrek's honor. She opens with Phoenix Meteor Shower and follows with a relentless combination of flame techniques. Ji Juechen's self-created Silence domain suppresses her fire, but his lower cultivation initially leaves him unable to withstand her full offensive pressure. 168 169 170

Ji deploys Exoskeleton Soul-Dueling Armor under cover of her flames. Its force field resists her heat, while its propulsion and strength amplification allow him to meet her phoenix-claw attack directly. He subsequently cuts away half of one of her fire wings and repeatedly forces her backward. 171 172

Unwilling to lose to a five-ring Soul King, she activates Fire Phoenix Avatar. The transformation destroys his domain, overwhelms his armor, and melts the arena into lava. She wins, but Ji is left severely burned and near death despite her last-moment restraint. Her brief remorse is ultimately outweighed by her determination to uphold Shrek's reputation. 172

Final Team Battle and Avatar Sealing

Minghuang forfeits the remaining individual matches, leaving the championship to the seven-versus-seven battle. Ma Xiaotao leads Shrek's lineup of Chen Zifeng, Xixi, Ling Luochеn, Yao Haoxuan, Gongyang Mo, and Huo Yuhao. Through Huo Yuhao's shared Spirit Detection, she recognizes the danger of Xu Mingzi's complex star technique and orders an immediate all-out assault to interrupt him. 173

Bing Hanxue counters Phoenix Meteor Shower with Extreme Ice of greater elemental purity, neutralizing Shrek's principal offensive advantage. Six Minghuang members equip Exoskeleton Soul-Dueling Armor, prompting Ma Xiaotao to attempt Fire Phoenix Avatar. Bing Hanxue's Snow Dance Radiant Sun domain initially hinders the transformation, but Gongyang Mo's enhancement skills restore its momentum. 174 175

As Shrek struggles to penetrate Minghuang's defenses, Gongyang Mo spends his life essence to help Ma Xiaotao fully form her Avatar. Bing Hanxue and Ji Juechen combine their domains against its heatwave. Ma Xiaotao then summons hundreds of enormous Extreme Fire meteors, only for Xu Mingzi's completed Starlight Chains to bind the phoenix, collapse the transformation, and seal her seventh Soul Skill. 176

With her strongest ability disabled, Shrek loses its last major chance to reverse the match. Minghuang's domains, armor, and coordinated attacks overwhelm the remaining Shrek members, leaving Huo Yuhao as the only fighter still standing. Ye Guyi's subsequent public kiss with him shocks and irritates Ma Xiaotao. 177

Defeat and Return to Shrek

After the final, Ma Xiaotao returns to the Star Emperor Hotel furious and emotionally overwhelmed by the end of Shrek's undefeated record. Huo Yuhao later describes advances from her and Bing Hanxue as unwanted and seeks comfort with Ju Zi. 178 184

Shrek's delegation skips the final ceremony rather than accept runner-up medals and returns home under Wang Yan's supervision. Several Sea God Pavilion elders demand expulsions and punishment, but Mu En rejects treating the defeat solely as a disgrace, arguing that it can free Shrek from complacency and encourage adaptation. The returning Inner Court members, along with Huo Yuhao and Bei Bei, are summoned to Sea God Island. 184

Fire God's Nine Trials

After learning that Huo Yuhao has left without saying goodbye, Ma Xiaotao briefly feels abandoned. Now at level 74, she judges that ordinary cultivation toward Titled Douluo by forty would be far too slow to keep pace with him. She instead commits to reaching level 90 before thirty and acquiring a hundred-thousand-year ninth Soul Ring. 202

As she begins cultivating, her surroundings transform into a realm of scarlet-gold fire. The Fire God appears and directly offers her his Nine Trials. Recognizing that her ancestor Ma Hongjun once failed to complete this inheritance, she accepts immediately. Meanwhile, the Elemental Gods warn that choosing her may violate divine rules because of her bloodline, but the Fire God knowingly gambles on passing his divine position to her. 202

Notable Quotes

“Who said I'm unwilling?” 48

“The feelings between Huo Yuhao and me don't need some damned Marriage Agreement to bind us!” 66

“Everyone, press forward! Attack with everything you have and interrupt that staff wielder's casting!” 173

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