Blending two overlapping lines when expanded

So i made this brush from a tutorial i watched online.

I want this rope loop to look how its shown on top, but when they overlap in the loop i don't want them to look how they do once expanded (image below), i want them to be smooth as how it looks before the expand. I do understand that the first image has a white Fill, but I need the rope to be transparent which is why i expanded it.

I just want the Loop to be smooth looking and transparent and not see all the overlapping lines, hope im being clear.

Ive tried looking online as to how to fix this and i cant seem to find the right answer im looking for. Really appreciate any help.