Liao the Tiger, real name Liao Wen, earned his nickname due to his fierce appearance and thunderous voice that made him sound like a roaring beast.
"When did I, Liao the Tiger, stoop to shooting music videos for a living?"
In the public eye, Liao Wen was a director whose two films had flopped. But within the industry, he was highly sought after—a renowned art director and production designer.
"They think 250,000 yuan for three days can buy me? Hah! Since when do I bow for mere pennies?"
The hierarchy of contempt in the directing world went: films > TV dramas > web series > commercials > music videos > short videos. If there was anything lower than short videos, it was probably directing adult films.
The bigger issue? Chu Zhi was an idol with zero acting experience. Even if an MV didn't require acting chops, trying to salvage a performance from him would be like dragging a dead weight uphill.
"Hmph... whatever. I'm free anyway. Might as well do a good deed."
Liao the Tiger had his agent inform Taiyang Chuanhe that he was onboard, confirming the schedule. After signing the contract, the script—"With My Life, I Trade for Your Eternity"—landed in his inbox. The title alone made him cringe.
"What pretentious garbage."
The story opened with the Heavenly Emperor, responsible for annihilating 1,600 sects, being besieged by an alliance of the ten great clans. Trapped in the Annihilation of Six Paths Reincarnation Array, his life flashed before his eyes.
"Why use 'Annihilation' written in traditional characters? Just to make it harder for audiences to read?" Liao grumbled internally.
The alliance's leader was the Emperor's childhood sweetheart, whom he had betrayed, stealing her Dao-Heart and slaughtering her clan. Now, she sought vengeance.
"A 'Dao-Heart'? This script is trash. How do you live without a heart? And enlightenment comes from the brain, not the blood-pumping organ!" Never a fan of web novels, Liao replaced Dao-Heart with Golden Core—borrowing from Legend of the Swordsmen of Shu Mountain, where a Golden Core was a refined treasure used as a weapon.
As the Emperor's true motives unraveled within the array...
"This plot is dumber than a sack of bricks." Liao sighed. "Hard-earned money is bitter to swallow."
He ruthlessly edited terms he didn't understand—Void-Piercing Stage, Divine Ability Stage—replacing them with familiar cultivation tiers like Nascent Soul Loose Immortal, 49th Earth Immortal, Second Tribulation Earth Immortal, Ascendant Immortal, and Celestial Immortal. The Emperor, of course, was the Lord of Celestial Immortals.
In an industry where scripts were routinely butchered by directors and actors alike, Liao saw no issue with his revisions. If he didn't get it, he cut it. Learning new things? Not his style.
"A few minutes of MV will cost over a million. The whole album won't be done for under five. These talentless celebrities are loaded."
Taiyang Chuanhe footed the bill, naturally. Capitalists didn't let artists keep their earnings without squeezing them dry first.
While prepping the MV, Niu Jiangxue and the team secured three major endorsements after discussions with Chu Zhi:
Helen Keller Eyewear (National Spokesperson) – 41 million yuan for two years (exclusive to sunglasses).
Armani Men's Skincare (Product Line Ambassador) – 23 million yuan for one year (exclusive to skincare).
Watsons (National Brand Ambassador) – 40 million yuan for two years.
Combined, these deals surpassed 100 million yuan—a staggering figure. Online hype about "hundred-million endorsements" rarely specified contract lengths. And let's be real: if brands paid that much, they expected to profit tenfold.
In this world, only the Six Top Stars and a handful of household names commanded annual fees over 18 million yuan. Even at his peak, the original Chu Zhi had earned around 19 million yearly from endorsements.
For perspective, on Earth, only the likes of XZ, Yibo, Kunkun, and Jackson Yee breached 20 million yuan annually (with exclusivity clauses). Chu Zhi's Helen Keller deal barred him from endorsing other sunglasses brands—a concession negotiated down from all eyewear by Old Qian, whose knack for haggling matched his taste for adult content.
Despite Chu Zhi's limited discography (two hits), his commercial appeal was undeniable. From Guinness World Records set by fans to 8 million yuan crowdfunded overnight, his value now exceeded his predecessor's peak.
Proof that the Emperor Actor's antics paid off.
Strange Offers & Team Rewards
"Why is a Japanese company buying my publicity right or domestic use?" Chu Zhi frowned at the offer sheet.
[Sekkisei (Japan) – 40 million yen (~2 million yuan) for one-year publicity right usage (Japan only)]
Most endorsements fell into four categories: social media promotions, commercial events, photo usage, and full ambassadorships. The first three deals were the latter.
Publicity right for six photos typically fetched around a million yuan—Sekkisei's offer was a premium.
"Fei Ge, look into this," Niu ordered.
Idols rarely had overseas recognition. Chu Zhi's negligible fame in Japan made the offer bizarre—unless Sekkisei was eyeing the Chinese market.
"Old Qian, push for higher fees or shorter terms on the other deals," Niu directed crisply.
The team's dynamics were eclectic. Chu Zhi, the youngest, was addressed as "Brother" or "Master Jiu" (by Old Qian). Even Niu and Fei Ge called him "Ge."
"You've all worked hard. Sister Niu, arrange two days off and bonuses," Chu Zhi announced. "I considered a company trip, but realized everyone would rather rest at home. Cash is king."
(Truth: Trips cost more and bred resentment. A self-made man like Chu knew the value of strategic frugality.)
"Master Jiu is generous! " Old Qian cheered.
"Brother Chu reads minds!" Fei Ge grinned. "My bed and I are inseparable on holidays."
Wang Yuan, who'd secretly hoped for a "couples' trip" with Chu Zhi, kept quiet as the room erupted in joy.
Wednesday morning—crisp, clear, and chilly—marked the MV shoot at Beijing's August First Film Studio.
The four-day rental covered:
Director: Liao the Tiger
Crew: August First's veteran cinematographers, lighting, and props teams
Makeup: Huang Mi's team (two-time Hong Kong Film Award winners for Costume Design)
The brokerage team had stylists, but MV looks demanded specialists.
As Chu Zhi arrived in full Heavenly Emperor regalia—silver hair flowing, robes embroidered with cosmic motifs—even the jaded Liao muttered:
"Damn. Maybe this brat can act."