The kerosene lamps illuminated the stage below, where a young Magician held a deck of cards, skillfully fanning them into the air. As the young man brought his hands down, Newton was once again infuriated across worlds; instead of falling, the cards soared into the sky. The young man bowed and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, today's Magic Show begins now."
The Spectators below had indeed never seen this trick, nor had they seen this Magician. They simply assumed the Circus had hired another highly skilled Magician. After all, in those days, only the Circus, Magic, and theater were available for entertainment. Repeatedly watching them could become tiresome, but there was no alternative, as there were no other forms of entertainment. It was best if the Magic was updated, as the price remained the same anyway.
Consequently, sparse applause broke out among the Spectators. Laze, among the Spectators, stared blankly at Fulen on stage. "Oh, what is this trick? I taught it, but why can't I see the technique? It seems I'm truly old." Laze's face held a hint of self-mockery. He thought back to how Miss Sohier was equally astonishing and brilliant back then...
After some guidance from the old Magician, Fulen lived up to expectations, mastering most of Laze's techniques. Of course, Laze's most secret techniques were out of the question; Laze wasn't too old to perform Magic on stage yet. Furthermore, his most secret Magic would only be passed on to officially accepted disciples. Although Laze and Fulen shared a mentor-apprentice relationship, it was merely that of a Circus Apprentice and an old master. Even if he were to pass them on, at the very least, a banquet and a formal apprenticeship ceremony would be required, followed by teaching Fulen indoors—not in a bridal chamber.
Whether in the East or the West, the most secret skills are not easily taught. After all, something a person has painstakingly developed over a lifetime and refined for decades is not just given away so easily. And since they are both people, teaching it means there's one more person who knows, and potentially one more person who could leak the secret. People, alas, always take things obtained easily too lightly.
However, this was enough. The things Laze taught Fulen were genuine bread-and-butter skills. Laze taught Fulen most of his abilities without a second thought and even paid Fulen an Apprentice's wage. Fulen truly remembered this kindness.
After the sparse applause subsided, Fulen swept his hands downwards, and the cards from the sky rained down like drops. In an instant, Fulen vanished beneath the shower of cards, eliciting faint gasps from the people.
Just then, the Door to the room opened. In this moment of complete silence, everyone could hear even the faint sound of the Door opening clearly. The effect of Fulen's breathing method, learned from Wilson, became apparent. Fulen's voice, which had previously struggled to even speak loudly, now effortlessly filled the entire room.
"We Magicians are more than just Magicians; we even possess some divine power that ordinary people cannot obtain, just like the card teleportation I just performed." Fulen's voice, carrying a graceful and unhurried quality, reached everyone in the hall. He then looked at the sparsely seated people, his voice and demeanor mimicking the relaxed and carefree feeling Laze's performance had given him.
Stripping away the mysterious veneer of Magic, the techniques themselves are quite rudimentary. However, what truly transforms those seemingly simple techniques into Magic is the Magician's skill. Every Magician is a master at creating illusions; if they were actors, their acting skills would surpass many. This is because a Magician must perform a show that appears very simple to himself, yet must captivate the Spectators with its wonder.
Laze wore a gratified smile, thinking this young man was a born Magician. However, as Fulen scanned everyone, he quickly made a funny face at Laze when he was only facing him. Laze's mouth twitched slightly at that moment. With a feeling that was neither satisfaction nor sigh, he felt both proud and troubled by this half-disciple, perhaps a sweet sorrow.
As for Fulen's Magic, although Laze couldn't discern how Fulen did it, if Laze were to research it himself, he could figure out most of it. While Fulen used "wind blowing" to cheat, for an old Magician who had been immersed in Magic his entire life, a different method could achieve the same effect. As for teleportation, that was even simpler; the stage, after all, always has mechanisms...
Setting aside Laze's gratified state of mind, let's focus on Fulen's performance. Fulen had already taken advantage of everyone's attention being on him to place the pre-set mechanical device with the Magic box onto the stage. Only when Fulen stood still on the stage did everyone realize that the Magic props Fulen needed were already there.
"Don't worry whether we are truly ghosts or gods, because anyone can achieve these magical feats through some training. However, the prerequisite is that you possess this spiritual perception, just like..." Halfway through his sentence, Fulen took off his top hat and placed it beside him, then pulled out a pigeon.
"Coo, coo, coo..."
A pigeon flew out of the top hat. To the crowd, this was just a common trick. But before the pigeon could fly away, Fulen grabbed its leg. The pigeon flapped its wings, trying to fly, but at that moment, flames erupted from Fulen's hand and the pigeon's body. After the flames dissipated, the pigeon vanished without a trace.
The crowd below gasped softly, and Fulen spoke again, "Everyone, do not worry. The world is made of fire. You, I, animals, plants, we are all living flames. Fire can devour life, and naturally, it can also create life. Please observe."
As soon as he finished speaking, flames four or five meters high erupted from the hat in Fulen's hand. After the flames, the top hat was completely unharmed, but one pigeon after another made loud sounds, circling the stage. Soon after, the pigeons flew out of the room.
The Spectators once again focused their attention on Fulen. At this point, Fulen took out a brand new deck of playing cards and invited a Spectator to help complete the Magic, performing those old but still effective tricks.
As time passed, the Magic gradually evolved from tricks interspersed with cards and fire into large-scale illusions, such as escape acts and beheadings. Before long, Fulen's debut Magic Show concluded.
Fulen, amidst a surge of flames, left his closing remarks, and the Spectators gradually departed.
Laze, however, did not leave. After watching all the Spectators depart, Laze closed the Door to the room and said to the stage, "Alright, come out."
Fulen initially appeared with a proud expression, clearly expecting praise, but what greeted him was Laze's serious face.
"Fulen, you..."