Chapter 18: The Changing He Tian

He Tian stood around 1.78 meters tall, but now, his height remained unchanged. The transformation was all in his face. The mirror now reflected a completely new, handsome man—someone who looked even more vibrant and energetic than the real He Tian, brimming with youthful vitality. Even the position of his eyes seemed to have shifted, granting them an even more electrifying gaze. Upon close inspection, there was still a trace of He Tian’s original features, which was quite impressive. No one would ever believe this person was He Tian.

“This is perfect,” He Tian said with a slight smile, committing the image to memory. From now on, this would be the face he used for endorsements.

This seemingly miraculous ability was an essential skill for members of Dragon Soul. Such a transformation required immense internal power and an extraordinary degree of muscle control—neither of which posed any challenge for He Tian. In fact, he had yet another appearance, used only on missions. Originally, He Tian had intended to use his true face to enjoy his own life, and his Dragon Soul visage to fulfill his duties as the king of Dragon Soul soldiers. But now, without a doubt, he was about to embark on another chapter of his life.

He Tian selected an outfit, dressed himself, and only after feeling satisfied did he leave his room.

“Who are you?” Wang Xinrou was stunned to see a completely unfamiliar yet dashing man descending the stairs. Wang Xinmeng was equally astonished. Only Old Hu smiled knowingly, as if he had foreseen the situation.

“Little girl, you can’t recognize your own master after just a while?” He Tian spoke up.

“He Tian? How is this possible? How did you change so much?” Wang Xinrou stared in disbelief, scrutinizing him, unwilling to accept that this was truly He Tian.

“Don’t be so nosy, little one! Haven’t you read martial arts novels? Ever heard of disguise techniques?” He Tian offered an explanation. In truth, his muscle control far surpassed any ordinary disguise technique.

“No flaws in the build or the face—absolutely perfect! The clothes, the charisma… He Tian, try another outfit!” Wang Xinmeng was deeply impressed by his ability to change his appearance, but her mind was already working—she saw not just a man, but a potential male fashion ambassador.

She quickly took out her phone to capture He Tian’s look in its entirety.

Thus began an impromptu fashion show. Wang Xinmeng snapped photo after photo, her face beaming with delight. The group had already reached a consensus: if they could break into the menswear market, the company’s assets could grow by as much as fifty percent in a short time. Should they expand further, Mengrou Group surpassing five billion in total assets would not be an unattainable dream. For Wang Xinmeng, who was determined to build a commercial empire, this was of utmost importance.

“Try some other styles!” Wang Xinmeng, excited by the results, couldn’t help but demand more.

If it worked, the group might not only dominate the urban casual menswear market but could also branch out into other sectors. Who said only celebrities could be spokespeople because they had fans? No matter how many fans a star had, they could never outnumber those who wore clothes. The true ambassador was someone recognized for authentically expressing the characteristics and spirit of the apparel—not necessarily a star. As for the stardom issue, Wang Xinmeng was confident that He Tian might well become famous because of this endorsement.

After He Tian tried on several more styles, Wang Xinmeng remained thoroughly satisfied.

At last, the small fashion show came to an end. Everyone sat down.

“He Tian, I hope you’ll become the face of Mengrou Menswear,” Wang Xinmeng formally invited him. “Rest assured, your endorsement fee will be top-tier—thirty million a year!”

Thirty million a year—the going rate for a superstar. Wang Xinmeng’s decision wasn’t driven by personal feelings or a surplus of cash. It was all about her confidence in He Tian’s endorsement and the immense value she believed it would bring in the future, far exceeding the thirty million annual fee.

“Forget it. I’m just doing you a favor. Are we really going to talk about money?” He Tian waved his hand with a chuckle. “I can’t let Xinrou look down on me—as her brother and master, I can’t be accused of being money-minded!”

“He Tian, you treat money as dirt—so noble! I truly admire you!” Wang Xinrou gave him a thumbs-up.

“No, in business, everything must be clear!” Wang Xinmeng insisted. “Three million a year! We’ll sign a one-year contract for now. If the results are satisfactory, I promise you five percent of the company’s shares as a lifetime endorsement fee. But you must not endorse any other clothing brands.”

“Five percent! Wow, sis, you’re generous! But you’re also clever. Let’s see—if the company is worth three billion now, five percent is a hundred and fifty million, which would be the fee for five years of endorsement. And you want He Tian to sign for life—how shrewd!” Wang Xinrou looked at her sister with mock admiration.

“But if the company grows—what if it’s worth five billion, or even ten billion? Then it’s even more. In the long run, it’s a great deal! And with shares, you become a shareholder with voting rights!” Wang Xinrou enthusiastically began calculating for He Tian.

“How much money or how many shares, it’s too soon to say—and I don’t really care about those things,” He Tian replied. “I have only one request: I’ll only do the endorsement. I won’t participate in any other promotional activities, like banquets and such.”

“No problem! From a marketing perspective, that’s called maintaining mystique!” Wang Xinmeng agreed readily.

“Then it’s settled.” He Tian relaxed his control over his muscles and returned to his original appearance.

“I still prefer how you looked before,” Wang Xinrou sighed, seeing the familiar He Tian once more.

“In that case, you’ll come to the company with me tomorrow!” Wang Xinmeng was eager.

“No need to rush. You go ahead and get things ready. I’m not going anywhere. Tomorrow is my first day of school—I don’t want to miss it!” He Tian waved her off.

The first thing Lü 2B Stone wanted to do upon regaining his freedom was go to school. Unfortunately, he’d been delayed by the weekend—tomorrow was Monday, and He Tian didn’t want to miss the chance to experience student life.

“Very well,” Wang Xinmeng nodded. Selecting a spokesperson—especially one who, in her mind, was the only choice—demanded a great deal of preparation. Within the company, her word was law, but there were still many things to organize.

“Let’s celebrate! Aunt Qiu, bring a bottle of wine!” Wang Xinmeng called out.

Aunt Qiu and the other two maids had all been left dazed by what they’d just witnessed. That, in fact, was partly He Tian’s goal—to prevent them from developing any untoward thoughts because of outside influences.

When the wine arrived, Wang Xinmeng personally poured a glass for He Tian.

“To a fruitful partnership!” she said, smiling.

“To our partnership,” He Tian replied with a gentle smile, sipping his wine.

Wang Xinmeng was talkative and clearly elated. Wang Xinrou was just as excited. In the end, they insisted on watching He Tian give Wang Xinmeng a massage—even wanting to try it themselves. In the end, He Tian’s massage put them straight to sleep.

Back in his own room, He Tian sat cross-legged on his bed. His internal energy circulated ceaselessly—Three Dragon Realm. Three energy channels formed three small cycles. This was the Three Dragon level, which, in layman’s terms, meant the third level of internal energy.

Beneath the gleaming surface of society, there existed another world—the world of internal strength, also known as the world of ancient martial arts. There were many names for it, but currently, it was divided into five levels.

Practicing the Nine Dragons Unification technique, the One Dragon level equated to the first tier of internal energy, Two Dragons the second tier, and Three Dragons the third. Achieving the third tier already marked one as an expert. He Tian didn’t know if the Nine Dragons technique meant he could reach the ninth tier—there was no record of it. The Dragon Head had told him he was at the peak of the fifth tier. There were those who could reach the sixth, but it was extremely rare.

Each tier was divided into lower, middle, and upper sub-levels. Within the country, there were many who cultivated internal strength. Among the nation’s three major organizations—Dragon Group, National Security, and Military Intelligence—all recruited the elite, the special agents. Within Dragon Group was the Dragon Scale Unit; National Security had the Special Operations Team; Military Intelligence had Wolf Fang—all units specifically for those cultivating internal strength.

Dragon Soul, however, recruited only the very best from these three organizations. He Tian was a special case. Although he’d only just joined Dragon Soul officially, from the moment he’d selected and practiced the Nine Dragons Unification technique as a child, he had already belonged to Dragon Soul. The technique set him apart from all others.

Completing nine full cycles, He Tian felt invigorated. His internal energy hadn’t increased much, but progress was steady.

Glancing at the time, he saw it was already late at night. Quietly, he slipped out of his room, greeted Chen Long and the others, and left the villa.

Dragon Soul’s status was supremely high. He Tian had already contacted the Tianhai branches of National Security and Military Intelligence in a special way, issuing orders regarding the attack on Wang Xinrou the previous night. While He Tian was busy with his fashion show, the information had already arrived. The two agencies in Tianhai had no idea He Tian was present; they only knew to follow the order and relay the information.

Tianhai Huitong Grand Hotel—a towering skyscraper over sixty floors—stood before him, and He Tian’s face twisted into a cold smile. The gunman wouldn’t escape Tianhai; He Tian was sure of it. The boldness of the man—daring to stay in such a high-end hotel, so openly—was astounding.