The blood contract was prepared quickly. So quickly, in fact, that when Bian Heng had the old servant at his side bring it in, Zhang Tie even wondered whether this fellow had often used this trick to blackmail his patients in the past.
A blood contract was similar to the oath-taking process when Zhang Tie had joined the Dragon Emperor Temple. The only difference was that the oath used a token resembling a tiny crystal dragon, while the blood contract used a strange, translucent paper covered in dense runes.
Under Bian Heng's hand, cinnabar flashing with an unusual light turned into rows of writing on the blood contract in the blink of an eye. It was an employment contract. Once he had finished writing, Bian Heng was the first to cut his thumb and press his bloody fingerprint upon it, then handed the blood contract to Zhang Tie.
Zhang Tie took the blood contract and carefully read through its contents. Everything was stated clearly. The entire contract chiefly contained four points, laying out the relationship between him and Bian Heng in no uncertain terms.
—From this day onward, the contractee—namely Zhang Tie—would become the steward of Bian Heng's Hutuo Mountain. This position could not be resigned from and was for life. So long as Zhang Tie lived, he would remain Hutuo Mountain's steward.
—Zhang Tie's duty as steward was to manage the fishery at White Dragon Bay on Hutuo Mountain. Bian Heng, the contract-maker, had no requirements regarding the fishery's operations; everything would be decided by Zhang Tie. At the same time, Bian Heng could not assign Zhang Tie any other tasks or matters, and Zhang Tie was free in all his actions.
—In exchange for Zhang Tie accepting the post of steward, Bian Heng promised to restore Zhang Tie's