Seeing Luriel's anticipation, Hans inwardly nodded and continued.
"There are certain instances where mana will gather at a specific location, providing nourishment for the plants nearby. This amplifies some of the herbs' effects, or creates entirely new herbs full of excess mana."
Luriel immediately connected the dots, his mind drifting off to a strange-looking plant he'd eaten some time ago. It was a small flower with five petals, each glowing in a different colored hue. He could vividly remember the distinct smell it released, etching him closer and ultimately resulting in him eating it.
"Seems like you finally remembered. However, that brings up the question, how are you alive? Mortals who eat spiritual herbs will ultimately die due to their frail bodies. Unless… you were born with a special body, probably a variant of some immortal body.
Immortal bodies are a very rare occurrence, maybe 1 in a million would have one but even that's a stretch. It helps gather mana and give it an additional effect."
While talking, Hans suddenly revealed a pained look on his face. By the looks of it, his projection won't last long. This change caused Luriel to flinch and try to help but he sat back down shortly after, clenching his fist while grtting his teeth.
"Listen well Luriel, I don't have much time left. I'll run out of mana shortly, so I'll make it brief, alright? The herb should have enough mana to raise you into a 5th stage Broken Vessel but even then, you'd be weaker due to the absence of mana pathways." Saying this, Hans extended his hand which started glowing in a bright light before turning into a block of wood with the carving 'Basic cultivation manual' on it.
"This is the fundamental cultivation manual that will help you in the early stages of cultivation. Although it's quite useless by itself, it will help you build a foundation for a better cultivation manual in the future."
A person can only practice one cultivation manual. Unless there's a better manual with a strong similarity with the previous one, they wouldn't be able to coexist in the body and will severely damage the cultivator, even crippling their cultivation in some cases. The basic cultivation manual however, was so plain that it matches almost every other manual out there. This will give Luriel enough time to decide what path suits him the best.
Extending his hand to grab the rectangular wooden block, Luriel felt mixed emotions from within. His eyes turned moist but just as he was about to speak, Hans interrupted him while shaking his head.
"We don't have time for useless chatter. Currently, you are a wandering cultivator, or a rogue- someone with no affiliation with any organization and will be looked down upon by others. I suggest going to the Imperial Academy to—"
That's when Hans realized Luriel was ignorant of such matters. With a helpless look on his face, he sighed and created a ball of light in his palm. This was information about the most famous organizations and sects in the area, as well as the Empire they were living in. The ball of light shot towards Luriel's forehead before disappearing completely. If it weren't for the light discomfort he was feeling, Luriel would've thought he was imagining it.
"What I gave you was knowledge for the future. After I'm gone, concentrate on it and you should be able to see what's inside. Now as I was saying, the Imperial Academy will be your best choice in the long run. You must be a noble to get in, though, which you obviously aren't. But don't worry!"
Pointing towards himself in an exaggerated manner, Hans revealed a grin as he continued. "I am a noble, Duke Prizal!"
'Or atleast I was...'
Forcing himself to snap out of it, Hans he began concentrating mana from his brain and into his finger. Afterwards, he pointed towards Luriel's shoulder as mana moved on his command.
"Arrgh!"
Tightly gripping his shoulder, Luriel felt excruciating pain, as if his flesh was being slowly cut with a knife. After a few seconds of agony, Luriel finally breathed a sigh of relief as the pain disappeared, leaving behind a golden tattoo. Examining it closely, he recognized a golden dragon spreading its wings, towering over smaller dragons.
"This is the Prizal family's crest. With this, you'll have no problem taking the entry test for the Imperial Academy. You'll be more than skilled enough to pass after using the manual I gave you. Phew..."
Hans released yet another sigh, much heavier than the previous ones before his expression turned sorrowful. His eyes revealed a complex mix of emotions. He had so much left to do. But this is the end. His only relative died by the hands of the same person that killed him and he could do anything for revenge. His initial thought was to leave it to Luriel but he quickly dismissed the idea. It was simply too dangerous…
His eyes suddenly widened before regaining their calmness. Turning to Luriel, he said,
"Seems like time's up." Suddenly, he couldn't think of anything to say. After thinking for a moment, he simply smiled gently. His form became ethereal as it slowly disintegrated into particles of mana and disappearing into nothingness.
'Take care brat, or I'll come haunt you sometimes, hehe'
For a while, Luriel just stood there dazed. Too many things happened in a small amount of time and he needed time to process all of it. The sun was slowly setting, enveloping the forest in its last rays of sunshine of that day. By the time it had completely set, Luriel was long gone, making his way out of the forest with an expressionless look on his face. His lips would twitch from time to time but quickly became stagnant again.
Now was not the time to mourn. He could do it after ensuring his safety, his target- Retrow village, probably some random inn to spend the night in.