“My magic trick is called the Rope Magic!” Flying waved to a nearby female assistant, who handed him a rope.
[LSP online!]
[He knows Rope Magic, but I know the Great Binding Rope Seal!]
[Flying’s definitely doing this on purpose.]
Lu Zheng grinned, chuckling to himself, glad he hadn’t let Lin Wan go on camera. Otherwise, the livestream audience might have witnessed a live beating of the streamer.
Oblivious, Flying held both ends of the rope, gesturing toward Lu Zheng. “This is a normal rope, no issues, right? You can check it.”
Lu Zheng blinked, glanced at the phone filming, and kept the mood light. He took the hemp rope, running his hand from end to end, nodding. “No problem.”
“OK, now check this copper ring.” Flying draped the rope over his arm and took a copper ring from the assistant.
It was a ring about twenty centimetres in diameter, with no gaps. Flying handed it to Lu Zheng. “Here, inspect it. All good?”
Lu Zheng examined the ring, nodded, and handed it back with a smile. “Yep, no issues.”
“OK! Let’s move to the next step.” Flying took the ring, holding it aside for now. “First, let’s tie the rope.”
He spun the rope, tied a knot with a flick, making it look secure, then tossed the loop to Lu Zheng. “Tug it. Pretty solid, right?”
Lu Zheng blinked, smiling, but played along, grabbing the loop and giving it a light tug. The knot held firm. “Yeah, it’s solid.”
“Great, looks like I tied it well. Now, it’s time for the magic.” Flying took the loop and the copper ring. “I’m going to make this copper ring pass through the rope!”
He wove the ring through the air. “I cast!”
He let go, pulled, and *ding*! The rope loop dropped, and the copper ring was inside it!
[What the heck?]
[How’d he do that?]
[The knot’s solid!]
[Magician Flying! Grab your broom and save Hogwarts!]
“Oh?” Lin Wan let out a small gasp. Though she knew it was a trick, she couldn’t see how Flying did it. That was his skill.
“Now the ring’s inside the rope, right?” Flying twirled the loop, showing the ring could only spin within it.
Lu Zheng blinked, nodding with a smile.
“Good, now watch me get it out!” Flying wound the loop in his hands, deliberately avoiding the knot to show it was intact.
Then, with a pull and a flick, “Go!”
His hands parted, one holding the loop, the other the ring.
“Wow!!!”
The crowd around them gasped, some pulling out phones to record.
Truly the era of universal video!
Flying handed the ring to Lu Zheng, then unwound the loop, untying the knot with a flourish, turning it back into a single hemp rope.
[666]
[Master-level rope skills, like an antelope’s leap, no trace to follow. Wonder if he can do a turtle-shell bind?]
[Poor guy looks totally lost. Did Flying’s dragon-in-the-face move break him?]
[Calm down, folks. Flying’s Magic Live is a wholesome stream!]
Flying raised an eyebrow. “My magic’s done. So, brother, am I a magician with real magic?”
“Yes—”
It wasn’t Lu Zheng who spoke, but the circle of pretty girls and young kids around them.
Flying smirked, used to the crowd’s gasps and praise, but it still felt great.
Lu Zheng smiled, glancing at Lin Wan, who returned a smile, pitying Flying. Knowing Lu Zheng, she could tell he had it all figured out.
Playing sleight of hand in front of a martial arts expert… tsk tsk. A magician uses tricks to make a living, but a martial artist relies on sharp eyes to survive. Same thing?
Flying, misreading her look, gave her a knowing glance and said to Lu Zheng, “Don’t worry, brother. No shame in losing face. Seven guys before you admitted I had magic in front of their girlfriends. One more’s no big deal.”
[Haha, savage!]
[Did Flying just wink at the guy’s girlfriend?]
[Is that supposed to be comforting?]
[Pretty lady: So my boyfriend’s just ordinary.]
[And yet he was so confident earlier.]
[Chill, this is a wholesome stream. Don’t start drama, or we’ll get 404’d. Flying’s just trying to make a living.]
Lu Zheng chuckled, waving his hands. “No, no, you’ve got it wrong. I was just being polite, waiting for your performance to finish. I’m not admitting you have magic. I’m here to claim your double ticket!”
[Haha, ‘claim your ticket’ is gold!]
[Brother: I’ve seen through you!]
[As an apprentice magician, I think Flying hit a wall this time. His social death is near.]
[Walk the night road too long, you’ll meet a ghost.]
[Walk by the river, you’ll get wet shoes.]
Flying froze, then saw Lu Zheng hold out his hand. Stunned, he asked, “What?”
“The rope,” Lu Zheng said.
“Oh, oh.” Flying’s eyes flickered, handing over the rope smoothly.
“The other piece,” Lu Zheng said, taking the rope but keeping his hand out.
“What other piece?” Flying feigned surprise, but sweat beaded on his forehead in the early spring chill.
Lu Zheng pointed to Flying’s lowered left hand. “The one you’re holding.”
Flying: “…”
The cameraman and assistant: “…”
The crowd: “…”
Livestream audience:
[Hahahahaha!]
[Flying’s totally lost!]
[Social death scene.]
[Screenshot saved.]
[Hit a brick wall, game over.]
Lu Zheng wiggled his fingers. “Hand out, flip it, open it.”
Flying swallowed, licked his lips, eyes darting, giving a dry laugh.
“Need me to go on?” Lu Zheng smiled, blinking innocently, and handed back the rope.
“No, no need.” Flying took the rope, running his hands along it. Just a single hemp rope. The crowd and most of the livestream audience saw no clues.
But Flying’s reaction told everyone Lu Zheng had caught his trick.
…
“Brother, you’re a pro! A Hogwarts classmate?” Flying laughed. “Leave your contact later, I’ll send you the ticket code.”
Lu Zheng shook his head. “I don’t have magic. I don’t know magic.”
[Brother’s so humble.]
[No entertainment spirit. Wasted that handsome face.]
Lu Zheng nodded, deadpan. “I cultivate immortality, so I only have true qi.”
Flying: ⊙﹏⊙!?
[???]
[Haha, instant face-slap! Drag out those snarky commenters!]
[I take it back.]
[Big love for Chinese vibes. Brother, you’re the best!!!]
Lin Wan stifled a laugh. You’re just a martial artist, pretending to be an immortal cultivator… If exposed, well, sensing people with qi is pretty mystical. He could probably pass as one.
Seeing Lu Zheng’s serious nonsense, Flying realised he was a fun guy. Great entertainment spirit.
Flying gave him a *you’re the man* look, clasping his hands. “A fellow immortal cultivator! I’m He Flying, graduate of Hogwarts’ Gryffindor House.”
Seeing He Flying mix traditional etiquette with foreign flair, Lu Zheng got into it, bowing with clasped hands. “Lu Zheng, lay practitioner of White Cloud Temple. Greetings, friend from the magical world.”
[Professional!]
[Haha, dimension-breaking. Love it!]
[Look at that aura, top-notch!]
[Where’s White Cloud Temple? Never heard of it. I only know Taoist Chen, the scientific cultivator.]
LeftRightLook gifts Villa ×5
TofuBeauty gifts Yacht ×1
…
He Flying blinked, feeling utterly outclassed in looks and charisma. The girls and kids cheering for him earlier now focused on Lu Zheng.
Then he saw the cameraman signal that the livestream’s donation density was spiking.
Damn! He took my tickets, but I’ll milk this for all it’s worth!
“Brother, come on, don’t be shy. The double ticket’s thanks to the livestream audience. Say hi to them.”
The cameraman aimed the lens at Lu Zheng, showing him the livestream comments.
[Plain Little Taoist]
[Brother, can you slay demons? I’m a little demoness~]
[Dude, he’s from Hogwarts. You’re a cultivator—show us something!]
[Yeah, don’t let the magic world look down on us cultivators!]
Lu Zheng waved at the camera, catching Lin Wan’s amused, eager expression beyond the screen. Moved, he chuckled softly. “Since I’ve taken this magician friend’s gift, it’s only fair I show something in return.”
He Flying raised an eyebrow. Improv? A fellow performer?
He turned, avoiding the camera, winking at Lu Zheng and nodding toward the assistant, implying props were available.
Lu Zheng saw but shook his head, holding up the copper ring. “This’ll do. Copper is the origin of metals, the mother of refined gold. Emperor Huang cast a cauldron from Shouyang Mountain’s copper, greeted by dragons. Copper attracts spirits, a material for immortal artifacts.”
