Among this group, the three young women, in particular, looked Li Yan up and down several times with their beautiful eyes.
The smiles in their eyes seemed ready to drip water, which made Li Yan start to feel increasingly uncomfortable.
The moment Li Yan stood firm, he immediately cupped his hands towards Gong Yuantai.
"Senior Brother Gong, why is it like this here now..."
As he spoke, he gestured with his eyes to the surroundings and then looked up at the sky in confusion, where streaks of light were flashing past.
The scene at the "Green Bat Battalion" now was vastly different from before. Even Du Sanjiang and Bai Rou were here, as if they were discussing something.
Li Yan felt that something major must have happened. Of course, he had to clarify the situation first before asking the other questions on his mind.
"Hehe, Junior Brother Li has only just returned today, so it's no wonder you're unaware of the situation here."
"After the great battle that day, Martial Uncle Wei said that he would personally take over the Sixteenth Squad of Green, and that Junior Brother Li had gone to carry out a very confidential mission. So, Junior Brother Li has returned after completing your mission."
Gong Yuantai did not directly answer Li Yan's question but was instead probing with some curiosity.
That day, after they had cleaned up the battlefield, Li Yan had disappeared. Gong Yuantai was temporarily put in charge of the subsequent matters, and new conscripts were brought in from time to time to supplement their numbers.
But from that moment on, "Mutual Destruction Ridge" as a whole was put under the personal command of Wei Zhongran and a group of Golden Core cultivators.
This way, Gong Yuantai was relieved of a burden and let out a huge sigh of relief.
Even if he were given reinforcements for the mess at "Mutual Destruction Ridge," he no longer had the ability to hold it.
But many people still found Li Yan's sudden disappearance strange.
Some people even believed that Wei Zhongran had used this as an excuse to transfer Li Yan to the safe rear.
After all, in this defensive battle at "Mutual Destruction Ridge," although Windy Cool Mountain had suffered heavy losses, Li Yan himself had made a significant contribution.
Even if responsibility were to be assigned, Li Yan could atone for his mistakes with merit. Perhaps, with the mediation of this Martial Uncle Wei Zhongran, Li Yan would not only be blameless but might even be credited with meritorious service.
Of course, a portion of the people believed that Li Yan had indeed gone to carry out some kind of secret mission. They had seen Li Yan's bravery and fierceness that day and did not believe he would take the opportunity to be transferred away.
Such thoughts were held either by those who understood Li Yan or by those who had been shocked by him that day.
For example, cultivators like Bu Luo and Wuye.
Gong Yuantai had also initially thought that Li Yan was out on a mission. But with the subsequent great battle, the high-level demonic cultivators of the Demon Clan had all joined the fight.
He had heard that the battle raged over tens of thousands of li, with the sky and earth turning dark. He couldn't imagine where Li Yan could still be carrying out a mission, so he also began to suspect that Li Yan had been transferred away under some pretext.
In that case, Li Yan would no longer have to live in fear, far away from this place of trouble.
And as the great battle outside continued, the vast majority of the old members of the Sixteenth Squad of Green also began to believe this was the case.
However, no one dared to speak carelessly. Gossiping behind the back of a Golden Core cultivator was asking for death, unless one was tired of living. It was just that everyone understood without saying it.
Li Yan's sudden appearance today made Gong Yuantai and the others finally understand that this Li Yan had truly returned from a mission.
At this moment, Gong Yuantai couldn't suppress his curiosity and asked.
"Hehehe, this junior brother's mission is top secret. Without permission from the higher-ups, I cannot speak of it!" Li Yan replied casually with a slight smile.
As the few of them were talking here, there were still many people straining their ears to listen in on their conversation. However, no one seemed surprised by Li Yan's answer.
Even Gong Yuantai nodded. He was just curious. It would be better if Li Yan could say, but if he couldn't, it was also understandable.
Gong Yuantai even blamed himself in his heart for being nosy. If he had really managed to ask about something he shouldn't know, the consequences could be very troublesome.
He was also a cautious person, but because he had gone through a life-and-death experience with Li Yan, he was even more curious about Li Yan's abilities and had thus asked.
Immediately, Gong Yuantai let out a laugh, then also looked up at the streaks of light shuttling back and forth in the sky and was about to answer.
Unexpectedly, Bu Luo at the side had already spoken first.
"Brother Li's safe return is a cause for celebration. Are you asking why the situation here is so different from a few days ago?"
"It's actually very simple. I imagine Brother Li has already seen that a great battle has taken place outside on your way back."
"At dawn three days ago, we and the Demon Clan suddenly started a great battle, and it was a battle at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul levels."
"All of us were ordered to retreat into the Windy Cool Mountain grand formation to rest and recuperate. In fact, it was just hiding. Otherwise, if we were outside, we'd have been wiped out in one go!"
After the wound on Bu Luo's face had healed, his spirits had long since recovered. He had a look of lingering fear.
That day, when they received the order to retreat from "Mutual Destruction Ridge," if it weren't for a Golden Core elder who had swept them up and dragged them away, they probably wouldn't have even been able to fly.
Under the explosive pressure of several hundred Golden Core cultivators, let alone them, even some of the weaker Golden Cores had trembling legs, and the circulation of Spirit Power in Foundation Establishment cultivators had become sluggish.
"That's right. On my way back, I already sensed that something was wrong. I could only carefully sneak back all the way, so it took some time. The outside is already completely changed."
Li Yan also said with a grave face. Of course, he knew about the great battle three days ago, but he was just pretending not to.
"Brother Li, did you not encounter any cultivators fighting on your way back?" Bu Luo asked again as if curious.
The others also looked at Li Yan with curiosity or nervousness. All of them, being Foundation Establishment cultivators, were not allowed to probe outside the grand formation with their Divine Senses.
This was to prevent their true bodies from being severely injured by the Divine Senses of the cultivators fighting outside. Therefore, Gong Yuantai and the others did not know the situation outside.
"I came from the north. All I saw were large tracts of collapsed mountain peaks after the fighting, a scene of devastation. I didn't encounter any cultivators fighting."
Li Yan lied casually again. On his way back, not only had he been tracked by a Golden Core cultivator, but he had also encountered four or five groups of cultivators fighting.
It was just that Li Yan had fully extended his Divine Sense. Upon sensing abnormal Spirit Power fluctuations from afar, he would immediately detour around them.
But he didn't want to talk about this, so as to avoid another round of questioning.
He had only asked one question, but two people in a row had not answered him, instead pestering him with questions. This made Li Yan somewhat frustrated.
"Oh, what Junior Brother Li said should be correct. I've gathered some news. The battlefield has now moved south by more than ten thousand li. The Demon Clan's army is being beaten back by us."
Du Sanjiang, who had been silent all this time, suddenly interjected.
Hearing Du Sanjiang's words, everyone's eyes lit up. This included the other cultivators in the courtyard who were listening in on the conversation. After hearing the news, their faces showed excitement.
They knew Du Sanjiang's status. The news he had should be relatively close to the actual situation.
Besides, wasn't the reason they came here every day to inquire about the latest news from each other?
"Senior Brother Du, we can talk about what you have to say later. I say, Fellow Daoist Bu Luo, it seems no one has answered my question. I, Li, also have a curious heart."
Seeing Du Sanjiang speak up and the few people beside him seeming to want to pick up his topic, Li Yan could only force a smile and speak up first again.
Hearing this, a smile spread across Du Sanjiang's face, and he then looked at Bu Luo.
Bu Luo scratched the back of his head with his hand and said with some embarrassment.
"The reason I didn't answer Brother Li's question is that your question isn't really a question at all."
"Ever since we were grounded within the grand formation, with our Divine Senses not allowed to probe outside, we've been constantly concerned about the battle situation outside."
"Although we have full confidence in all the seniors, everyone is afraid that the outside will suddenly be surrounded by the enemy's mid-to-high-level cultivators. Of course, we want to know more about the situation outside."
"However, according to what Fellow Daoist Du said just now, I estimate that even if we were to probe now, with our cultivation, we wouldn't be able to find out much. We can only probe a few hundred li at most."
"Therefore, everyone has long since lost the heart to cultivate, whether it's the cultivators from the 'Green Bat Battalion,' 'Earth Battalion,' 'Heavenly Craft Battalion,' or 'Heavy Peak Battalion.'"
"They've all started looking for people they know to ask for news. After all, there are still elite disciples of the Four Great Sects like you, Senior Brother Du and Senior Brother Gong."
"So, more or less, they will hear some rumors from the Martial Uncles and Martial Aunts who have stayed behind."
"To put it bluntly, everyone is just restless and trying their best to find out news about the great battle outside."
"It's not just here at the 'Green Bat Battalion'; it's the same on the other peaks. The cultivators of each peak have been gathering frequently these past few days to ask for news from each other."
"Therefore, this is also why when you came back, Brother Li, we kept asking you about the news outside. After all, you should be the only Windy Cool Mountain cultivator we know of who has seen the result of the great battle outside."
After Bu Luo finished speaking, he spread his hands, his eyes darting around Li Yan's body as if trying to see something.
"You guys are like this, and the Martial Uncles and Martial Aunts who have stayed behind are just letting it happen?"
Only then did Li Yan understand, but he immediately felt that things were too casual within Windy Cool Mountain. Wasn't this causing a huge commotion?
"The seniors are also turning a blind eye to these matters. Otherwise, if all the cultivators were cooped up in their cave residences, the pressure in their hearts would probably be even heavier. Anyway, most of the news we get is released by them."
Du Sanjiang said in a deep voice.
After hearing this, Li Yan thought for a moment and understood the meaning behind his words. The rumors that these Martial Uncles and Martial Aunts could release were naturally more good than bad, and would instead serve to boost morale.
"Mm, so as you can see, Junior Brother Li, Senior Brother Du, Junior Sister Bai, and many others have all come over. Hehe, but Junior Sister Bai has been asking about you the most these past few days."
Tantai Dongyue suddenly interjected at this moment. And as she spoke, her beautiful eyes held a teasing expression.
As soon as she said this, the crowd fell silent for a moment, and then wordless smiles appeared on many faces.
Li Yan, however, just rubbed his nose at Tantai Dongyue's comment and did not reply.
Bai Rou's hesitant voice sounded after the silence.
"Sen... Senior... Sister Tantai, I... I didn't..."
"Junior Brother Li saved our lives in the last mission. Senior Brother Hu Xiaowang asked me to thank Junior Brother Li when I saw him."
"It's... it's just that... since we parted a month ago, none of us have seen Junior Brother Li again."
"Senior Brother Hu was injured again some time ago, and Senior Brother Yan Feijun has been transferred to the rear after losing an arm. So... so, they still asked me to convey their thanks..."
Since Li Yan had come in, Bai Rou had only glanced at him occasionally and had not spoken. After hearing what Tantai Dongyue said, a wave of panic flashed in her eyes.
Fortunately, she was always used to keeping her head down, so the expression in her eyes was not seen by others. But a layer of pink had already risen on her snow-white neck, which was seen by everyone.