Looking at Xin's exquisitely handsome face, Bibi Dong was momentarily stunned and, almost instinctively, fell into deep thought.
For a brief moment, she forgot the purpose of her visit.
There had long been debates within the Spirit Master world regarding the true nature of Spirit Avatar. Many believed its side effects were tied directly to the quality of the Spirit itself, arguing that innate talent determined everything.
After all, weaker Spirits often came with unstable foundations, while stronger Spirits were naturally more compatible with higher-level spirit rings.
However, this explanation had always felt incomplete.
Xin spoke calmly, breaking her thoughts.
"That logic is flawed."
He shook his head slightly.
"The quality of a Spirit only reflects a Spirit Master's innate talent. It has little to do with the side effects of Spirit Avatar itself."
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed slightly as she listened more carefully.
Xin continued with growing clarity and enthusiasm.
"The true determining factors are the attribute and strength of the spirit ring."
"The higher the age of the spirit ring, the stronger the Spirit Avatar becomes. However, strength alone is not the key factor."
He paused for emphasis.
"Compatibility is."
"If the attribute of the spirit ring aligns closely with the Spirit Master's own attribute, then the side effects are minimal. But if there is a conflict—especially if the Spirit Master cannot suppress or harmonize that opposing energy—the backlash becomes severe."
Bibi Dong slowly nodded as understanding deepened in her eyes.
"So the issue is not simply strength… but balance."
Xin gave a slight nod.
"For example," he said, "take Bing'er."
Bibi Dong listened attentively.
"Her Spirit is the Ice Phoenix."
"If she were to absorb a fire-attributed Spirit Beast as her seventh spirit ring, then upon activating Spirit Avatar, the fire energy within the ring would invade her body."
He tapped lightly on the desk.
"The result would be a prolonged period of exhaustion, instability, and weakened spirit power circulation after using her ability."
Bibi Dong's expression changed slightly.
"Unless she can cultivate a fire-attribute cultivation technique…" she murmured, following his logic.
"Exactly," Xin confirmed. "Only by balancing opposing attributes within her body could she reduce or neutralize the conflict."
A realization suddenly clicked into place within Bibi Dong's mind.
"So that's it…"
Her gaze sharpened.
"So the compatibility of the spirit ring is the most important factor when selecting the seventh spirit ring!"
No wonder different Spirit Masters experienced completely different side effects after using Spirit Avatar.
No wonder some could recover quickly while others suffered prolonged weakness.
It was not simply talent.
It was structure.
It was harmony.
She exhaled slowly, almost in admiration of the simplicity and depth of the concept.
Then she looked at Xin again.
Her expression became slightly more complex.
A mix of admiration… and something closer to envy.
"These disciples…" she said softly. "To have a teacher like you, Teacher Xin… it truly is their fortune."
Xin waved his hand lightly, as if embarrassed.
Before he could respond, Bibi Dong continued.
"No," she said quietly. "Having Teacher Xin in Heart of Fire Academy is also the fortune of the entire Douluo Continent."
Her eyes softened slightly.
"If you continue your research and teaching like this, the Spirit Master world will undergo earth-shaking changes."
For a moment, the office fell quiet.
Xin paused.
He rarely received such direct praise.
A faint awkwardness appeared on his face, and he looked away slightly, as if unsure how to respond.
In truth, he had never set out to change the world.
He had only been refining what he observed step by step—correcting, adjusting, and building upon existing knowledge.
Yet somehow…
Without realizing it, those incremental insights had begun forming a complete system.
One that was already reshaping how Spirit Masters might understand themselves.