The Traveling Wizard of Worlds

"Wait!" August tried to explain immediately. "My body hasn't been taken; it's still me!"

It was a bit convoluted, but what August wanted to convey was that he hadn't been possessed; he was still the August Mardo knew.

However, Mardo didn't believe him. He just sat there, sneering and observing him, but at least he didn't make any immediate moves, waiting for his explanation.

"This person wasn't that powerful; he didn't seem like a Formal Mage, so I used some methods to kill him," August quickly explained.

"Hmm?"

"My ancestors left me some things," August used his ancestors, who had left him a legacy, as an excuse.

Mardo nodded. It was common for ancestors to leave self-defense items to their heirs. It was normal for August to have something that could defend against mental intrusion, which showed his ancestors were quite formidable.

Of course, he wouldn't believe August so easily: "If you are August, then place your Mercury Serpent insignia in your hand."

August didn't know what Mardo was going to do, but to avoid being treated as an enemy and strangled, he decided to do as Mardo said first.

The taut chains loosened slightly. August took his badge from the nightstand, opened his palm, and placed the object on it.

"Don't move," Mardo controlled the magical chains to tighten around August again. "We'll find out who you are soon enough."

Mardo's lips moved slightly, and he quietly chanted a complex incantation. The insignia in August's hand began to change.

"Nexus Obscurum, Dissolve Vincula!

Essentia Propria, Redi ad Formam;

Voluntas Vera, Reclamare Dominum;

Symbolum Vetustum, Firmitas Esto!"

The silver serpent seemed to awaken and began to writhe, gradually loosening its coils around the mercury droplet in the center.

Soon after, a tiny, gleaming silver serpent slithered across August's palm, raising its neck and facing him directly. The mercury droplet, fused with blood, floated silently in his palm.

Suddenly, the small mercury serpent seemed to receive a command, opening its small mouth in an exaggerated arc and biting August's finger.

Immediately, August felt a sharp pain, and blood welled from his finger.

Moreover, August felt that the small serpent wasn't just sucking his blood; he felt something being extracted, and a strong tearing sensation assaulted his mind.

This feeling was far more unbearable than physical pain. August struggled with all his might not to cry out.

"This is a wisp of your soul," Mardo's voice was emotionless.

August's face instantly paled upon hearing this. The importance of the soul to a person was evident, and for a mage to say he had extracted a wisp of your soul... only those like August, who understood mages' methods, could even conceive of such a thing.

"Don't be afraid. This tiny wisp of soul won't harm your foundations; it will just be uncomfortable for a while." Mardo, seeing his pale face, even offered a word of comfort, though with his expressionless face, it looked more like fear than reassurance.

"Of course, if you were someone else, then what you would face next would not just be a small extraction."

The small silver serpent seemed to have drunk enough blood; its slender body also swelled. It slowly crawled to the mercury droplet in the center of the palm, opened its mouth, and spat out a bright red bloodstain.

The glass containing the mercury droplet suddenly shattered and formed a cloud of dust, revealing the slightly reddish mercury droplet.

The blood spat out by the silver serpent also floated, moving toward the mercury in the center.

Under August's tense gaze, both approached, slowly squeezed, and embraced. The silver and blood-red intensely intertwined, merging, to finally calm down and regain a silver color with a faint reddish glow.

"August, I have to tell you..." Mardo unbound the chains. August, who was breathing heavily from the oppression, suddenly slumped onto the pillow. "You are very lucky."

His expression didn't seem to change, but August could still see a hint of happiness in his eyes.

"Mr. Mardo, can I prove I'm me now?" He couldn't help but sound a little resentful. The suffering he had endured earlier wasn't light, and now a strong sense of fatigue urged him to quickly close his eyes.

"My apologies," Mardo said apologetically, but his tone showed no remorse whatsoever, and one could even detect a hint of amusement.

"This is a necessary method. Just now, I extracted a little of your soul, put it into the blood, and then merged it with the Mercury Serpent. This allows us to distinguish who is in your body—if it's August or an unknown outsider," Mardo explained the method he had just used.

"Wait a moment, won't it be a problem if I'm missing a little bit of soul?" August felt a little uneasy; he didn't want long-term problems.

"This small amount won't cause any irreversible damage." Mardo seemed to notice August's concern. "This minor soul damage will automatically replenish. You just need to rest for a while."

"Alright then." August nodded in relief upon hearing Mardo's words.

"Now, come with me. It's no longer safe here." Mardo rose from the chair, signaling August to quickly get out of bed.

"Wait, I really want to sleep right now." August's voice was getting weaker, his eyes barely able to stay open.

"That's a side effect of soul splitting. Getting enough sleep can accelerate healing," Mardo said, and then threw him a test tube.

"What is it?" August opened his eyes with difficulty and reached out to catch the test tube.

He swirled the blue liquid inside while looking at Mardo confused.

"A mental stimulation potion, specifically for recovering from mental fatigue." Mardo briefly introduced the liquid's name. "Drink it and come with me."

August didn't doubt him; if Mardo had intended to harm him, he wouldn't have survived until today.

He pulled out the cork and poured the test tube of blue potion into his mouth.

A cool, refreshing current flowed directly from his stomach to his brain. August had never felt so clear-headed. The desire to sleep and the feeling of fatigue vanished, and he instantly felt energized.

"How good!" August looked at the empty test tube with passionate eyes and then turned his gaze back to Mardo.

Mardo didn't react to August's eager gaze, simply stating calmly: "This potion is not for apprentices. Trying it once is tolerable, but another dose would likely lead to a mental frenzy, followed by sudden, excited death."

August immediately dismissed the idea of buying some from Mardo. He had planned to use this to buy time and reach the conditions for advancement sooner.