ven… did all the planning. I asked Du Heng to contact Brother Yu and we killed the Old Man of Heaven Prison. Of course… Brother Yu, you know I didn’t make a move myself. I only laid out a formation to trap the Old Man of Heaven Prison."

"Ha, ha. I actually am at great risk by telling you this. The families of the Central Plains will blame the Du Family if they know that I got involved in the disputes of the Northern Desert. By that time, I will definitely be punished by death. I hope that Young Master Lu, Brother Ye and Brother Yu, you can keep this secret for me!"

"What…"

Lu Li and the other two were shocked. Not only did Du Zheng admit his involvement, he also stated that he had made the arrangement. He also said that what he did was risky and that he would be killed if the Central Plains ever knew this.

This was practically to give a piece of evidence to Lu Li. If Lu Li went to the Central Plains and told the story, Du Zheng and the Du Family would be in big trouble.

Lu Li could not understand. Why didn’t Du Zheng kill him but saved him in the end after he made so many arrangements?

Lu Li frowned and asked, "Chief Steward Du, I don’t understand. If it is you who made the plan, then why didn’t you kill us?"

"Why would I?"

Du Zheng shrugged and replied, "I am doing this for you. Why… I want to give you the entire Thousand-island Lake and even the Northern Desert. Think about it. Who can beat you at the Northern Desert? If you want to unify the Northern Desert, it will be like putting a hot knife through b.u.t.ter."

"You have seven n.o.ble Lord Realm warriors and none of the forces or families can compete with that. Young Master Lu, by now, you should have known how important territories are for the cultivation of warriors. With the Thousand-island Lake and even the Northern Desert, you will have endless resources and you can control the lives of the hundreds of millions of the Northern Desert. You will become the new emperor of the Northern Desert."

Zi Huanyu, Madam Yan and Bai Qiuxue’s speculation was confirmed. Du Zheng had made a grand plan to help Lu Li unify the Thousand-island Lake and the Northern Desert…

Lu Li’s jaw was dropped as he was utterly stunned by the information. He couldn’t come back to his senses.

Ye Cha and Yu Huashen were in deep thoughts. Yu Huashen seemed to have a faint idea of all this and what Du Zheng said had confirmed his ideas.

After some thinking, Yu Huashen soon realized the rationale behind Du Zheng’s actions. It would seem that Du Zheng was crazy while in fact everything made sense. His plan was very good.

Du Family had no intention of taking the Northern Desert. Their focus was on developing at the Central Plains. To have the Northern Desert wouldn’t bring them much, but to befriend a disciple of the Lu Family, the son of Lu Renhuang, would be more beneficial. What was more, Lu Li was only 16 now and he could already kill warriors of the peak of the Fate Wheel Realm. He even had servants of mysterious races and he had a promising future ahead of him…

The Old Man of Heaven Prison would be dying of old age soon. By then, the Thousand-island Lake would be attacked by the three kingdoms just as well. To let the Thousand-island Lake be conquered by the three kingdoms was not as good as giving it to Lu Li…

Lu Li said nothing in the time for three incense sticks to burn. The he sighed and said with a bitter smile, "Du Zheng… you are crazy!"

To make a friend, to give him a favor, to give him the Thousand-island Lake, Du Zheng had made such a plan and all the powerful warriors of the Northern Desert were his p.a.w.ns.

His plan was a good one, but so many souls had pa.s.sed away. The Thousand-island Lake was bleeding right now…

The Old Man of Heaven Prison died and so did Bai Xi. The Family Patriarch of the Ye Family pa.s.sed away, and a warrior of the n.o.ble Lord Realm of the Heaven Martial Kingdom did so as well. Most of the powerful warriors of the Thousand-island Lake and almost all the 10,000 warriors of the Soul Pond Realm perished. More than half of the civilians died as well.

All this was to give Lu Li a favor. But people were plunged into the abyss of suffering and so many died. The Thousand-island Lake was covered in blood. What else could Du Zheng be if not crazy?

Du Zheng smiled without feeling offended. Instead, he solemnly, said "Young Master Lu, the Northern Desert is such a small place and you will go to the Central Plains to try out your luck sooner or later. The Central Plains is a crueler world. There are millions of brutal and sinister things. You will grow numb to all this. If you want to stand at the peak, you must do so by burying lives and taking them as your stepping stones. I want to give this to you as a piece of advice from a senior warrior and this will be your lesson. Also, this is a humble gift presented by the Du Family. I hope… that we can be friends."