As soon as he saw Ma Xiaotao, Huo Yuhao instantly understood Zhongli Wu's plan.
The "Amaterasu" eye technique Huo Yuhao had used earlier was regarded by Zhongli Wu as the highest form of wicked fire — the only ability capable of helping Ma Xiaotao's wicked fire evolve to its ultimate level.
The Wicked Fire Phoenix differs from the pure ultimate Ten-Headed Fire Phoenix, and also from the Dark Phoenix, which combines ultimate fire and ultimate darkness. Wicked Fire belongs to one of the Seven Deadly Sins, specifically the sin of lust.
In the original story, Ma Xiaotao's ancestor — one of the founding members of the original Shrek Seven Devils — after consuming a celestial herb called the Cock's Comb Phoenix Sunflower to purify the impurities in her wicked fire, evolved into the top-tier Ten-Headed Fire Phoenix, classified as an ultimate fire martial spirit.
But from the original series, it's clear that the Wicked Fire Phoenix is not necessarily weaker than the Ten-Headed Fire Phoenix or the Dark Phoenix. On the contrary, uncontrollable power is the strongest power. After all, even in the Divine Realm, gods of the Seven Deadly Sins — including the god of lust — exist.
In modern terms, if it can't be controlled, then just let it be.
Previously, Ma Xiaotao's wicked fire had erupted due to the negative spiritual energy Huo Yuhao absorbed after devouring countless souls, causing Zhongli Wu to take control and capture her back to the Holy Spirit Sect.
Just like in the original story, the Holy Spirit Sect's simple plan was to use Ma Xiaotao, their sacred maiden, as a weapon — wherever war broke out, they would send Ma Xiaotao there to unleash her wicked fire, gradually letting evil thoughts consume her mind, turning her step by step into a mindless killing machine of war.
"Huh, Wicked Fire Phoenix martial spirit?" Two maidservants laid the unconscious Ma Xiaotao on Huo Yuhao's bed and left. At that moment, Bibi Dong's suspicious voice echoed in Huo Yuhao's mind.
"Yes, a poor soul," Huo Yuhao nodded. Before returning, he had told Zhongli Wu that he had a method to evolve Ma Xiaotao's Wicked Fire Phoenix spirit again and requested they send her to him.
"If she doesn't have the celestial herb like Tang San's to purify the wicked fire, this girl will eventually perish in it," Bibi Dong sighed. Her understanding of this martial spirit was limited to a thousand years ago, when except for the original Shrek Devil, no Wicked Fire Phoenix holders in history had a way to solve their own problems.
Without the celestial herb, Huo Yuhao had no absolute confidence in evolving Ma Xiaotao's martial spirit, but he didn't want to just watch her become a pawn of the Holy Spirit Sect. No matter the outcome, he had to try.
Although the original text didn't describe it explicitly, based on Douluo's earlier introduction to Ma Hongjun, Huo Yuhao could guess how agonizing it was for Ma Xiaotao to be unable to vent her wicked fire at the early stage of its eruption.
The direct disciple of the prestigious Shrek Martial Spirit Academy's head, the academy's greatest genius in centuries, forced to deal with her martial spirit problems in strange ways...
Just as Huo Yuhao's second martial spirit, the Ultimate Ice, appeared to bring hope to Ma Xiaotao's issue, she was forced by opponents' spirit devices in the competition to transform into a Dark Phoenix, lost her mind, fled Shrek Academy, and was captured by the Holy Spirit Sect.
No description, no narration, no one imagined what a girl who lost reason and needed to constantly vent wicked fire would become in the hands of the Holy Spirit Sect.
When they met again, Ma Xiaotao's strength had dramatically increased, possessed by a new personality, perhaps completely forgetting her past—this was a form of relief for her.
In the story's conclusion, Huo Yuhao completely cleared Ma Xiaotao's wicked fire, and she returned to Shrek, the place where she was raised, carrying the responsibilities originally belonging to Huo Yuhao.
Perhaps this is over-interpretation, but if you carefully examine how Ma Hongjun dealt with wicked fire early on in Douluo, and Ma Xiaotao's first lucid appearance when she met Huo Yuhao and spoke with Xu Sanshi, you can sense something different.
"Do you want to save her?" Bibi Dong asked.
"Yes. Martial spirit evolution stems from mental and physical stimuli. With the power of Tsukuyomi, it's not hard. It mostly depends on her mindset," Huo Yuhao smiled. Then, clasping his hands together cheekily, he pleaded, "Your Majesty, with my current strength, I can't maintain Tsukuyomi for long. I need your help."
"So you've learned to drag this old bone out as muscle now," Bibi Dong rolled her eyes at Huo Yuhao with charm.
"Not at all, Your Majesty is in your prime, a divine being..." Huo Yuhao continued flattering her for free but was promptly kicked out of the spiritual sea.
Huo Yuhao approached Ma Xiaotao. Her soul power had been completely sealed by Zhongli Wu, so even waking her up wouldn't pose any threat to him.
"Ma Xiaotao, in this life, I hope you no longer suffer pain."
Huo Yuhao murmured, then concentrated soul power at his fingertip, placed it on her forehead, injecting some spiritual energy, and pointed at her.
"Wake up!"
Ma Xiaotao had been forcibly subdued into unconsciousness by Zhongli Wu and others. As Huo Yuhao lifted the suppression, her fiery temper flared, and she immediately struggled to rise.
Already at the Soul Emperor level, Ma Xiaotao had rich combat experience. Sensing her soul power was completely gone, she lifted a leg to kick Huo Yuhao and tried to flee toward the door.
No matter Huo Yuhao's cultivation level, if he instinctively counterattacked her kick, Ma Xiaotao could use that force to break through the room's door and escape.
From waking up to planning her escape to the lightning-fast strike, all took only a few breaths. This showed Shrek Academy's excellent training for talents.
Even Huo Yuhao hadn't fully figured out her plan, but he didn't block the kick and instead opened his right eye wide, activating his martial spirit.
"Tsukuyomi!"
Ma Xiaotao's entire plan relied on Huo Yuhao's counterattack, but unexpectedly, he activated his martial spirit, and her soft kick brushed over his small shoulder, leaving her exposed for a moment.
Huo Yuhao had no time to admire the scene. As Tsukuyomi was activated, Ma Xiaotao met his eyes. The peak spiritual power of the Spirit Abyss mixed with the power of Rakshasa god surged out and instantly invaded her consciousness.
"No, this... is an illusion!" Ma Xiaotao's mind sounded an alarm, but without soul power to resist, she could only let her consciousness sink into the enemy's illusion.
"Welcome to my world."
Looking up, Ma Xiaotao saw Huo Yuhao's annoying face. Through perception, she clearly recognized his pitiful soul power but was powerless against his methods.
"You... what do you want to do?" Ma Xiaotao forced down her fear of the unknown and coldly questioned Huo Yuhao.
"Ma Xiaotao, direct disciple of Yan Shaozhe, head of Shrek Martial Spirit Academy, martial spirit Wicked Fire Phoenix, nickname Flame Maniac, one of the two living volcanoes in the academy..." Huo Yuhao recited her identity and background like a litany.
"You've investigated me?" Ma Xiaotao asked coldly, her expression darkening. Huo Yuhao's knowledge was astonishingly detailed.
"Heh heh heh, can't say for sure. My goal is to turn you into... the Wicked Fire Succubus Ma Xiaotao!"
(End of chapter)
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