The author continued, "Divine abilities are close to the power of nature. Wood is also close to the power of nature. Plants can grow in any condition be it in the ocean, desert, volcano, and in the clouds. In this way, the Everlasting Wood Art can be used with any mana technique."
"But there are three things that must be adhered to. The first is that this cultivation must be started at the first mortal coil and be used to reach the second mortal coil."
"The second requirement is the mana affinity for the element of wood. Without this affinity, it is impossible to use the Everlasting Wood Art."
"The third requirement is to use the essence of a great wood entity to transcend the first mortal coil. The better the essence, the better the performance of the Everlasting Wood Art. A rank 5 essence is advised. Anything less than that is suboptimal."
Arthur's scalp tingled when he read the rank of blood essence needed for him to use to transcend the first mortal coil. He couldn't help but say, "What the hell? I'm just transcending the first mortal coil, not going to hell and back."
He was agitated because a rank 5 blood essence is the blood essence of a nascent soul cultivator. So this author is asking for a nascent soul cultivator who is a wood-aligned entity to either give up their blood essence willingly and lose a part of their strength or have their blood essence taken forcefully by killing them.
He sighed in relief and said, "Fortunately, I'm in a sect. So I have a chance to cultivate this."
He realized thay with these requirements, even if he happened to stumble onto such a powerful technique, as a loose cultivator, he could forget about cultivating the technique.
He shook his head and continued reading.
"To become the everlasting tree, one must become an everlasting seed. To become an everlasting seed, one must use the everlasting wood art together with a rank 5 blood essence to reach the second mortal coil and refine the life seed."
"After the everlasting seed is formed, one has hope of growing into the everlasting tree. In hopes of achieving this, the everlasting wood art is both a body-refining and energy-refining cultivation technique. After all, it is only when one is similar in body and spirit to the everlasting tree that someone can become the everlasting tree."
"The decision to make this everlasting wood art a body and energy to refine technique makes it very strong. But it also makes its side effects severe.
"There are two possible side effects. They are for the struggling everlasting seed and the prospering everlasting seed. Whichever one you are will determine which side effect you suffer."
"An everlasting seed that is struggling to survive will drain nutrients from the body and will try to convert the body into a tree so as to gain more nutrients from the world. This will cause the body to shrivel and turn into bark. Finally, you will turn into a tree, become immobile, and lose consciousness forever."
Arthur exclaimed, "What in tarnation is this side effect? This is more than a mental side effect. It is a physical side effect too. Are all divine arts this strict?"
The author had an answer to that. "Every divine art has serious repercussions. There will be side effects for both the body and mind because if the divine art changes the body and mind just like the everlasting wood art does."
"The side effect of the everlasting wood art is special, though. This side effect is due to the passive growth and cultivation of the everlasting seed."
"The everlasting seed, once planted, must grow or die. So once planted, you either have to give the seed what it needs to grow, or it will take it from you and the world. If you can't give it what it needs to grow, the seed will begin to struggle, and you will be affected by the side effects of its struggling."
"If you have enough vitality and life force to feed the seed, you won't shrivel and your flesh won't turn into bark. But you will still turn into a tree."
Arthur cursed, "Goddammit. Is this thing even worth cultivating? I don't want to turn into a tree."
The author continued to explain, "The transformation into a tree will be slow and smooth. It will finish happening when the everlasting wood art reaches the third mortal coil. At that point, the flesh and skin will turn into flexible bark."
"This change is inevitable. The practitioner's flesh must turn into bark in order to continue cultivating the everlasting wood art. But since the seed is prospering, this transformation will be controlled and not forced. So the practitioner will not lose consciousness or become immobile."
Arthur sighed in relief and said, "I can live with that. As long as I don't become a tree and become rooted in place, I won't mind being green or brown or whatever."
Now that his worst fears have been alleviated, he continued reading the description eagerly.
"A prospering everlasting seed won't turn the practitioner into a tree, but it will make the practitioner lethargic, lazy, and unwilling to move. This mental side effect can be nullified and removed by cultivating the divine lighting armament."
"The divine lightning armament has the side effect of turning its practitioners into reckless cultivators with poor control of their emotions and easily prone to anger. If combined with the everlasting wood art, the two side effects can cancel each other."
"This is why it is recommended that the everlasting wood art be combined with the divine lightning armament. Not only do they cancel out each other's side effects, but they also enhance each other's divine abilities."
"But even if the everlasting wood art is cultivated alone, the side effects are worth it for the ability to become an incarnation of the everlasting tree. Almost everything is worth it for the acquisition of power."