Ma Xiaotao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ma Xiaotao (马小桃)
Alias(es)	Flame Maniac 100
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Shrek Academy, Inner Court 85 167
Occupation/Role	Inner Court disciple; Yan Shaozhe’s only disciple; formerly Gu Yunxiao’s maid 38 101 167
Martial Soul	Evil Fire Phoenix 85
Cultivation	Soul Emperor; exact level unspecified 39
Ancestry	Descendant of Ma Hongjun 85
Status	Alive; evil fire temporarily suppressed; remains at Shrek Academy 167 169
First Appearance	Chapter 38, during an uncontrolled evil-fire flare-up 38

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Soul Emperor	39	Her established realm. Evil fire has stalled her cultivation; she would otherwise already have reached Soul Saint. No subsequent realm breakthrough is confirmed in the supplied chapters.

Background / History

Evil Fire and Interrupted Cultivation

Ma Xiaotao is a descendant of Ma Hongjun and inherits the flawed Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul. Its dangerous fire becomes harder to control as her cultivation increases, threatening both her advancement and her life. Yan Shaozhe considers her talent greater than Zhang Lexuan’s if this defect can be resolved 38 85 94.

Unable to tolerate stopping her cultivation, she repeatedly disregards Yan’s instructions. He discovers her secretly cultivating during a flare-up and barely brings the fire under control with his Bright Phoenix power. Gu Yunxiao’s arrival at Shrek offers a possible remedy through his ultimate ice 38 39.

Yan encourages her to pursue Gu as both a potential partner and a future protector of Shrek. Xiaotao initially objects to Gu’s much younger age, but accepts the academy’s interests as a reason to cooperate. Treatment is delayed while Gu takes an extended leave, leaving her increasingly impatient to resume cultivation 39 40 58 76.

Treatment Negotiations

At their first meeting, Gu examines her condition and provokes her temper by comparing her unfavorably with his girlfriend. Yan makes her apologize, while Gu uses her poor self-control to justify demanding expensive, repeated treatment 94 95.

Shrek ultimately pays with Mu En’s Radiant Sacred Dragon Core rather than Gu’s alternative demand for forty soul bones. Mu En orders that Xiaotao not be told about the core; she remains unaware of the payment’s contents when Yan delivers it 96 97 98 99.

Gu takes her to a hotel suite for treatment, which she mistakenly interprets as a request for sexual intimacy. He corrects her and secretly channels the Ice God’s cold energy through his fingers, suppressing her evil fire for approximately six months without permanently curing it 99 100.

Service to Gu Yunxiao

After treatment, Xiaotao claims she could defeat Gu. He restrains her and wagers that he will return Shrek’s payment if she breaks free; otherwise, she must become his maid. Her phoenix flames cannot harm his fire-immune body, and she accepts the loss 100 101.

Initially unable to brew tea or clean, she learns household duties under his instruction. She later guides him around Sea God Island and moves to the Star Emperor Hotel at his direction. Her service improves enough to earn his praise, though she becomes frustrated that he continues to treat her as a servant rather than a romantic partner 101 114 127 134.

Romantic Pursuit and Jealousy

Xiaotao’s effort to win Gu over develops into genuine affection. She tries linking arms with him to discourage other Inner Court women, but he pulls away and rebukes her for overstepping. She seeks Zhang Lexuan’s advice and resolves to use her position as Gu’s maid to grow closer to him 114 115 116.

She suspects Gu is attracted to Zhang and becomes hurt after overhearing his provocative remark about “doing what lovers do” with the senior sister. Zhang’s explanation that she visited only to arrange a spar does not convince her. Gu’s subsequent victory and recruitment of Zhang deepen Xiaotao’s insecurity, although she is relieved when he tells her to move to the hotel as well 120 126 127.

Separation and Tournament Resolve

When Gu returns after the vacation, Xiaotao dresses up and waits for him by Sea God Lake. Learning that he belongs to the Dragon God Hall rather than the Clear Sky Sect has not changed her feelings 167.

Gu releases her from maid service and announces that he will leave Shrek to captain Dragon God Academy’s tournament team. Xiaotao confesses her love but refuses to leave the academy she considers home. He offers another condition: defeat him personally in the Soul Fighting Tournament, or lead Shrek’s team to victory over the Dragon God team. She returns to seclusion determined to succeed 167.

Gu continues to honor his treatment promise, allowing her to seek renewed suppression at Dragon God Hall. During Mu En’s final instructions, Xiaotao accepts responsibility for leading Shrek’s younger generation; Mu En also encourages her not to abandon her pursuit of Gu 169.

Appearance

• Red clothing: Appears in red when approaching Gu and during her confrontation with Zhang Lexuan 98 120.
• Fiery-red eyes: Her hurt and jealousy are visible in her eyes after overhearing Gu’s teasing of Zhang 120.
• Striking beauty and bearing: Her appearance draws attention from nearby students; Gu also acknowledges that she is pretty 94 98.
• Dressed-up reunion: Applies makeup and dresses carefully before waiting for Gu’s return to Shrek 167.

Personality

Xiaotao is proud, hotheaded, and intensely devoted to cultivation. Being ordered to stop feels worse to her than death, and repeated apologies do not initially prevent her from cultivating in secret. Yan admits that his indulgence helped encourage her unchecked pride and temper 38 39.

Despite her fiery reputation, she becomes bashful and uncertain around Gu. His rejection leads her to question her attractiveness, while attention from other women triggers jealousy. She can acknowledge her mistakes and honor a wager, accepting maid service after losing rather than denying the result 99 100 101 114 120.

Her loyalty to Shrek remains stronger than her willingness to follow Gu elsewhere. She calls the academy her home and turns romantic disappointment into determination to train and defeat him in competition 167.

Abilities & Skills

Evil Fire Phoenix

• Produces powerful phoenix flames, which she uses against Gu during their wager 100.
• Its evil fire grows increasingly difficult to contain as her cultivation rises 85 94.
• Uncontrolled flare-ups cause pain, interrupt cultivation, and can endanger her life 38.
• Her flames are ineffective against Gu’s fire immunity; she recognizes that his ultimate ice and immunity could make him difficult to defeat even if she reached Soul Saint 100 122.

Willpower and Evil-Fire Control

• Previously suppressed the evil fire through exceptional willpower, but this became insufficient as she grew stronger 94.
• Receives roughly six months of relief from the Ice God’s cold energy, secretly administered through Gu 100.
• Gu proposes accepting and mastering the fire rather than merely suppressing it, potentially weaponizing its influence on desire as a mental attack. The Ice God supports this possibility, but Xiaotao is not shown achieving it 101.

Household Skills

• Begins maid service without knowing how to brew tea or clean 101.
• Learns through Gu’s demonstrations and demanding instruction, later earning praise for her improvement 134.

Relationships

• Yan Shaozhe — Teacher who regards her as his own child. He repeatedly rescues and reprimands her, negotiates her treatment, and encourages her pursuit of Gu for both personal and institutional reasons 38 39 40 97.
• Gu Yunxiao — Treatment provider, former master, and unreciprocated romantic interest. He frees her from service but makes accepting her contingent on a tournament victory; their treatment arrangement remains in force 100 101 167 169.
• Zhang Lexuan — Respected senior sister and romantic confidante. Xiaotao admires her talent but becomes jealous of Gu’s interest in her 114 115 120.
• Mu En — Academy elder who sacrifices his Dragon Core to secure her treatment without informing her. He later entrusts Shrek’s younger generation to her 97 98 169.
• Ling Luochen — Described as her “sworn enemy,” yet approaches Xiaotao to request an introduction to Gu because of his ultimate ice 126 127.
• Ma Hongjun — Ancestor from whom her Evil Fire Phoenix lineage descends 85.

Notable Quotes

“A bet is a bet. From now on, I’ll... I’ll be your maid.” 101

“I really like you. It has nothing to do with any other interests!” 167

“Could you ask for something else? This is my home.” 167