Ma Hongjun

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ma Hongjun (马红俊)
Alias(es)	Fatty 4 19
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Shrek Academy 4 7
Occupation/Role	Academy student; Flender’s personal disciple 3 5
Soul Power	Rank 29 4
Soul Rings	Two yellow soul rings 13
Status	Alive 29
First Appearance	Chapter 1, “Driving Yu Xiaogang to Tears” 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Rank 29	4	Reached one month before the chapter’s events and initially kept secret. Flender publicly announces the breakthrough before the Star Dou Great Forest expedition. Yang Jian’s acupuncture treatment is credited with helping his cultivation progress beyond that of Yang’s previous life.

Background / History

Ma Hongjun has followed Yang Jian since childhood and is Flender’s personal disciple. He is slightly younger than Tang San, yet both have reached rank 29 by the time the forest expedition begins 1 3 4.

His Evil Fire previously required visits to pleasure houses for relief. Yang Jian’s acupuncture provides an alternative, allowing him to stop those visits and preserve his reputation in the village. When preparing for the expedition, he mentions needing to ask Xiao Hong for time off, though their relationship is not explained 4.

Appearance

• Build: Consistently described as chubby or plump 1 11 18.
• Mannerisms: Clutches his belly when laughing, slaps it when rallying behind Yang Jian, and readily sprawls on the ground when resting 1 2 11 18.

Personality

Ma Hongjun is outspoken, irreverent, and strongly loyal to Yang Jian. He laughs openly at Yu Xiaogang’s humiliation and immediately steps between Yang and Tang San when he senses hostility. His lack of restraint also extends to Flender: he asks whether the dean has gone crazy, earning a flick on the forehead 1 2.

His loyalty does not prevent genuine concern. Knowing how relentlessly Yang cultivates, he initially urges him to accept Yu Xiaogang’s help rather than risk his future over an argument. Once Tang San attacks Ning Rongrong and Yu continues disparaging Yang, Ma becomes openly hostile toward both teacher and disciple 6 7 11.

He is adaptable in social situations. Dai Mubai praises his carefully worded assessment of Yang’s possible level, while Ning Rongrong successfully buys his cooperation by giving him Gold Soul Coins to call her “sister-in-law” 19.

Abilities & Skills

Evil Fire

Ma Hongjun produces scorching Evil Fire and uses it for ranged attacks 11 13.

• Combat manifestation: Fire streams from his mouth during Phoenix Fire Line; wisps also rise around him when he prepares to confront Yu Xiaogang 13 17.
• Drawback: The Evil Fire can flare up and cause discomfort 2.
• Treatment: Yang Jian inserts six needles into key points on his body, producing immediate relief. This treatment replaces his former reliance on pleasure houses 2 4.

First Soul Skill — Phoenix Fire Line

A ranged attack that sends a stream of scorching Evil Fire from his mouth toward a target 13.

• Used against the Three-Headed Flood Dragon Wolf King while Yang Jian holds it in Tsukuyomi 13.
• Activated after Phoenix Bathed in Fire during the coordinated assault 13.

Second Soul Skill — Phoenix Bathed in Fire

A self-enhancement skill used before launching Phoenix Fire Line 13.

• Forms the opening step of his two-skill attack sequence against the Wolf King 13.
• Sustained participation in the assault leaves him nearly out of soul power 13.

Relationships

• Yang Jian — Childhood companion and the person he calls “Boss.” Ma protects him, keeps watch during his cultivation, receives acupuncture from him, and takes genuine pride in his achievements 1 2 20.
• Flender — Teacher and academy dean. Ma trusts his intentions, but Flender repeatedly disciplines his unfiltered remarks and attempts to mock Yu Xiaogang 2 6 14.
• Dai Mubai — Fellow student whom he calls “Boss Dai.” They coordinate attacks against the Wolf King and stand together when tensions rise around Yang’s soul-ring absorption 11 13 17.
• Ning Rongrong — Fellow student. He condemns Tang San’s attack on her and later accepts her coins in exchange for addressing her as Yang’s “sister-in-law” 7 11 19.
• Oscar — Fellow student and companion in criticizing Tang San’s conduct. Ma later grows exhausted during the search for Oscar’s third soul ring 7 22.
• Yu Xiaogang — Increasingly antagonistic elder. Ma resents his treatment of Yang and nearly attacks him after his feigned mourning during Yang’s absorption attempt 11 17.
• Tang San — Distrusted fellow student. Ma first blocks his approach toward Yang, then condemns his attack on Ning Rongrong; the two prepare to clash over Yu Xiaogang 1 7 17.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Shrek Academy Dispute

• Laughs at Yang Jian’s distinction between Xiaotian and Luo Sanpao, until Dai Mubai covers his mouth 1.
• Guards Yang overnight during cultivation, though he falls asleep beside him 2.
• After receiving acupuncture the next morning, runs to notify Flender of Yang’s breakthrough 2.

Star Dou Great Forest Expedition

• Defends Yang’s claim that the students can improve their soul-ring absorption limits by citing his unusually old second and third rings 8.
• Follows Yang’s battlefield instructions and joins Dai Mubai in attacking the immobilized Wolf King 11 13.
• Forms part of the protective circle around Yang during his fourth-ring absorption. Yu Xiaogang’s apparent satisfaction at Yang’s presumed failure provokes him into summoning a soul ring and Evil Fire 17.
• Celebrates Yang’s confirmed advancement to a level-48 Soul Ancestor 20.

Oscar’s Soul-Ring Search

• Questions Oscar about his desired third ring after the prolonged search wears him out 22.
• Eagerly asks whether a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent ring could let Oscar fly and become safer in battle; Yang cautions that a thousand-year ring would provide limited flight time 23.
• Supports Flender’s argument that sparing enemies can create future dangers after Meng Yiran’s death is revealed 29.

Notable Quotes

“Boss, just say the word! Wherever you point, that’s where my Evil Fire will burn!” 11

Trivia

• His admiration supplies Yang Jian’s emotion system with a wisp of Evil Fire. The system fuses three accumulated wisps into Ultimate Flame, an ability belonging to Yang rather than Ma 9.
• His excitement over Yang’s level-48 breakthrough triggers a 10% physical-strength increase for Yang Jian, not an advancement for Ma himself 20.