I Refused To Be Reincarnated
Chapter 544: The Valley’s Hope

Chapter 544: The Valley’s Hope

Simultaneously, Lin Zhongguo pushed the door open, revealing the sober interior.

Aside from a library filled with booklets, a study, a bed, and an old cradle, the place was barren.

Yet, his lips curled into a mischievous smile.

’A library is all I need to learn how to cultivate!’

As he flailed his fists excitedly, Lin Zhongguo placed him and Misha inside the cradle and smiled.

"You’re too young to eat meat or drink soup." He turned to Misha, his face stern yet his tone soft. "I count on you to watch over your brother while I fetch milk to feed him."

After a rapid translation, Misha raised her thumb to reassure the man before the wind howled as he blurred into movement.

Once they couldn’t see him anymore, Misha sat by him, her brows twitching, and sighed.

"What now? I can’t understand their language nor carry you. Are we stuck here?"

’For now. But is it bad? We have a roof above our heads, and Lin Zhongguo will care for us. If he turns out to be a bad man, we’ll leave after recovering for a year. But first, grab one of those booklets. I’ll help you learn the words.’

She nodded, her golden eyes sparkling as she jumped over the cradle and returned with a random book.

Then, she eyed him suspiciously as she opened it.

"Can you even teach someone?"

He almost suffocated at the question.

’I’ll let you know that I’m the best teacher in the magic world! Both my students are almost on Ignatius’ level already, and they’re not even fifteen yet!’

A mischievous smile crept over Misha’s face.

"Hahaha! If you’re the best teacher, I’ll show you I’m the best student by learning this language in a day!"

As Misha excitedly opened the booklet before Adam and began her journey of learning, Lin Zhongguo flashed through the forest.

Wild and magical beasts fled, terrorised by the noise of his forceful steps as he reached a cave’s mouth.

Before he could enter, an angry sigh blasted dust on his figure as a voice thundered through the forest.

"How dare you return after failing us a century ago? Are you tired of your leisure life, Lin Zhongguo?"

With each word, the noise of hooves colliding with rocks reverberated. Two horns dug deep trenches in the walls as a massive cow’s head emerged from the darkness. Its deep brown eyes locked with the human’s, fury dancing in them as its icy accusation echoed.

"You promised us your grandson would turn our valley into a paradise, that the clouds would rain Qi and that the soil would birth magical herbs like grass. Yet, we’re still living in a barren valley a century later."

It stomped the ground, cracking the dense rocks as its eyes narrowed into brown slits.

"What gave you the courage to stand before me today? Did you think I wouldn’t tell the serpent, the spider, and the crane? Did we not warn you that the moment you showed your ugly human face before us again, we’ll kill you?"

However, Lin Zhongguo shrugged, his three-word answer causing the cow’s eyes to tremble.

"He’s back."

"Lies! We upturned the entire realm in our search. We made the world our enemy. Even the Qingming sect, a millennia-long ally, isolated us. But we never found a trace of him! Wrap your mind around it, old fool. Your grandson is dead! He’ll never return!"

Lin Zhongguo inhaled a sharp bowl of air before he outstretched his hand toward the mountain peak.

"It might not be him, but the baby I found has his dan tian. I’m sure I’ll know more about Lin Yao’s situation when he learns to speak, but that’s irrelevant to you. However, if we nurture him, I’m sure he’ll revitalise the valley and keep the promise I made in the past."

He noticed the cow’s hesitant glare and pushed onward to convince it.

"What do you have to lose? A few liters of milk and a bit of knowledge? Now think about what you stand to gain instead!" He struck his chest, his voice thundering with his emotions. "I made this dan tian myself. I can’t be wrong, and I’m willing to bet my life on it! If the valley doesn’t become a paradise as I promised, I’ll send my head to the four of you!"

His words hung heavy for a few seconds before the cow shook its head.

"You forgot to mention us tacking human forms for seven years. Even if I agree, the other three won’t, and you know it..."

He cut the cow off, a steely glint flashing in his eyes.

"I came to you because you’re the most reasonable and kind. We don’t need the others because his dan tian is much more powerful than before. I felt it had once broken through the Void Refinement Realm before regressing. Much more than that, it’s not restricted to the five elements anymore..."

His fist trembled as he clenched it under his reddening face.

"Heaven! I don’t know how, but it has the heaven affinity I tried to create so long ago!"

"No way!" The cow yelled, its eyes enlarging as a veil of brown life force covered its muscular figure for a split second.

From it, a middle-aged woman emerged, her brown hair fluttering and hazel eyes sparkling as she rushed to the man.

Grabbing his arm, almost shattering the groaning bones under her immense strength, she lept to the mountain’s peak.

"I’ll decide after seeing him with my own two eyes. If what you said is true, I’ll care for him like I cared for your grandson!"

Despite his aching arm and the wind battering his face, Lin Zhongguo’s lips curled into a bright smile.

After all, the valley had four guardians, and that woman was the kindest but also the fiercest. But the best part? As a magical beast in the soul transformation realm, the equivalent of the sixth tier, her milk possessed incredible properties. And with it, he’ll turn the baby into the strongest human that has ever walked in the cultivation realm like he had done with Lin Yao before his tragic disappearance.

’A shame I can’t get the crane to teach him how to move like the wind. The spider’s silk and crafting knowledge would have been excellent, too. But with its righteous temper, I’d die before speaking a word. Finally, the serpent... We can do without its presence, even if his body will be susceptible to poisons. He also won’t learn alchemy...’

He couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the lost opportunities as they landed before his house, and the woman let go of his arm to rush inside.

Yet, he noticed her stop in her tracks and how her back trembled under the leather top draping her tightly.

"What am I seeing?! Who’s that girl who embodies avian, land, and sea beasts? And why are the two kids’ scents the same as us?!" Her eyes trembled in horror, and her breathing hastened as she gazed at the baby clapping his hands each time the blonde girl spoke a word. "What kind of monster did you pick up?"