Chapter 064: An Uneventful Showdown

Sofia, the glamorous mother draped in the magician’s robe, remained suspended in mid-air, dazzling the audience with her levitation. The stage was brightly lit, the props immaculate, elevating the difficulty of the magic to unprecedented heights—no one had ever achieved what Li Lekang had accomplished tonight.

But he was destined to overturn conventions.

After the astounding levitation, Li Lekang didn’t pause. He unfolded the black robe, covering Sofia’s face and feet until she was entirely hidden. Then, with his hands poised above her as if casting a spell, he waited a few moments. Under the intense gaze of the crowd, he grasped both ends of the robe and yanked it away.

Sofia vanished without a trace!

The spot where she had lain was empty, leaving the audience with the impression that Li Lekang had spirited her away with the robe. The experts in the audience began to rack their brains. The nearby table might conceal someone, but it wasn’t close enough. If the table couldn’t hide her, surely no one had dug a hole beneath the stage at the last minute? It truly seemed as if she had disappeared into thin air.

This was precisely the illusion Li Lekang intended to create for the knowledgeable members of the audience. He could keep the stage spotless, but now there was simply no solution! So he brought in a table, added a backdrop curtain, deliberately muddling everyone’s reasoning. In reality, Sofia remained right where she was, cloaked by his invisibility spell.

For a moment, the venue fell silent, then thunderous applause erupted!

Though it was the classic “vanishing act,” the difficulty of the performance far surpassed anything any magician had ever attempted.

The remaining three judges could no longer sit still. They knew, at least in their understanding, that Sofia was not a plant. Yet this feat left them more stunned and amazed than anyone else. The idea that Li Lekang might truly be a wizard started to creep into their minds.

Perhaps only Sofia herself was bewildered.

Maintaining her prone position, she quietly absorbed the applause, obediently refraining from speaking or moving, just as the magician had instructed. When Li Lekang dropped the robe again, giving it a gentle shake, Sofia’s alluring silhouette reappeared before the audience.

He deftly pulled the robe away.

The seductive, charming mother was once more in full view.

Li Lekang extended a hand to help her up. “You can take off your blindfold, dear!”

Sofia sat on the wooden plank, her heart pounding, her beautiful eyes sparkling, momentarily lost for words. Instinctively, she muttered something in Spanish, then switched to English: “If this were a different setting, I’d believe a miracle had occurred!”

“Thank you for loving the magic!” he replied with a smile.

Li Lekang grinned as he lifted her in a princess carry, setting her gently on the floor. Sofia’s radiant smile bloomed, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, addressing the audience: “I adore this man! He’s the most magical person I’ve ever met!”

Li Lekang smiled back. “Who doesn’t love you? But I wouldn’t dare keep you all to myself—I must return the enchanting Sofia to the audience!”

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Sofia, her confidence restored, returned gracefully to her seat among the judges.

But the magic was not yet over.

The wooden plank still floated in midair. Li Lekang casually covered it with the robe, then gathered it up and tossed the bundled cloth toward the back of the stage, making the object vanish with ease.

The stage lights dimmed. The background music took on an eerie tone.

Moments later, the robe on the floor began to rise, wobbling upright as if a person were inside. Two sleeves extended, the hood stood up, and the bundled ends formed two feet that began to walk. Li Lekang watched in apparent astonishment, retreating to the edge of the stage. His exaggerated performance prompted laughter from the audience.

The scene was fantastical and amusing—a novel magic act blended with theatrical flair that drew continuous cheers. The audience watched, captivated, not daring to miss a second of the spectacle.

The black robe seemed animated, walking and interacting with Li Lekang. Eventually, he approached and lunged, catching the robe in his arms—only to find it empty, light as air.

Li Lekang inspected the robe inside and out, then turned his back to the audience and put it on.

Just then, a strange laugh echoed through the venue. The robe tightened abruptly, and Li Lekang’s body appeared to be squeezed dry, vanishing instantly!

All the stage lights snapped on.

The only sign left was the magician’s robe, lying quietly on the stage. Li Lekang himself had disappeared without a trace.

In that brief instant, no one saw how he vanished.

The crowd searched the stage, confused and curious.

Moments later, wild cheers and screams erupted from the entrance to the auditorium. Everyone turned to see Li Lekang running out from the entryway, waving and smiling at the crowd.

“Thank you! Thank you all!”

Li Lekang returned to the stage, waving and bowing to the audience.

“I hope you enjoyed my performance! Let me hear your screams! Wow! I can feel your passion! I love you all!”

As with his first appearance, every audience member rose in applause. The judges stood as well.

He had reinvented the classic “vanishing act”!

And as Li Lekang’s mastery of magic deepened, his performances grew ever more extraordinary, earning him a reputation for the supernatural.

He and his management were happy to cultivate such an image. After all, when you loudly proclaim someone possesses wizardry, the public tends to remain skeptical.

The applause continued for several minutes.

From this round onward, the talent show would begin its elimination phase, with both audience and judges deciding who would stay. The remaining contestants would face off, with those ranked lowest being eliminated.

But none of this concerned him. Judging by the enthusiasm and the roaring voices in the crowd, he had earned universal acclaim and recognition.

During the voting phase, he advanced to the next round with an overwhelming majority!

Even outside the venue, bets were already being placed on whether Li Lekang would win the entire talent show this year.

Fame had come early; he was already known worldwide before the competition had even ended. His status and reputation were established, and his appearance fees now rivaled those of top magicians.

Li Lekang’s contests with other talent show contestants were no longer on the same level.

He dominated like a final boss, and the live broadcast of the elimination round, thanks to his participation, reached record ratings—consistently above 13 million viewers!

NBC executives could barely contain their delight.

Li Lekang returned backstage to the sound of applause.

Winning was routine for him—except perhaps for the suspense of the top three, and sometimes the network would create dramatic twists for effect, though such moves often drew heavy criticism.

But that was beyond his concern. Fame, popularity, and, most importantly, gaining devoted fans—that was his true reason for stepping onto the stage.

After this televised performance, his base of devoted fans soared like a rocket, surpassing 200,000!

The growth was much faster than before.

Li Lekang had analyzed it himself: as more of his work circulated online and his reputation spread, fans who couldn’t be converted at first would gradually become loyal after repeated exposure.

This was the cumulative benefit of his work—time was his ally. As long as Li Lekang continued to produce quality performances, hundreds of thousands, even millions of followers would soon be within reach.