Douluo Dragon King: My Martial Soul is Kamen Rider!

The setting sun dyed the coastline of Aolai City in the East China Sea into molten gold, and the salty sea breeze, carrying the sound of fine waves, swept past the gate of Hongshan Academy. Children, leaving school, walked in twos and threes, their chattering noise mingling with the sea breeze, drifting across the cobblestone streets.

Tang Wulin followed Zhou Yang out of Hongshan Academy.

"Brother Zhou Yang, my dad should be waiting for me up ahead." Tang Wulin gripped his backpack strap, turned his head to look at Zhou Yang, his eyebrows and eyes still carrying a bit of childishness, but in his eyes, which had just been encouraged by Zhou Yang, there was a hint of newborn determination, as well as a bit of dependence on Zhou Yang.

Zhou Yang looked up and saw a middle-aged man in simple work clothes standing under an old locust tree not far away. He was tall and straight, with a gentle face and a kind of tenderness that belonged only to a parent. He was Tang Wulin's father, Tang Ziran.

"Dad!" Tang Wulin's eyes lit up, and he ran over quickly. Tang Ziran immediately bent down, reached out and ruffled his hair, her tone full of tenderness: "How was class today? Did anything interesting happen?"

"Successfully! Dad, this is Brother Zhou Yang!" Tang Wulin quickly shook his head, then turned to point at Zhou Yang, who had followed them, his tone full of admiration. "Brother Zhou Yang has innate full soul power, he's amazing! He even encouraged me, saying my Blue Silver Grass is just as good!"

Zhou Yang stopped and put on a perfectly polite smile.

Eighth-Turn Dao-Evolving Gu, activated!

Without being overly enthusiastic or reserved, he nodded slightly to Tang Ziran and said, "Hello, Uncle. I am Zhou Yang. I awakened my martial soul with Wu Lin today. We just met not long ago." He was very tactful and his manners when facing elders far surpassed those of children his age. This composure made Tang Ziran feel more favorably toward him.

Tang Ziran looked Zhou Yang up and down. He was slender yet upright, with handsome features. Although he was dressed in simple clothes, he still exuded a refreshing air. He was also very proper in his dealings with people. When she thought of the admiration in Tang Wulin's eyes, she felt a surge of goodwill in her heart.

He patted Tang Wulin on the shoulder, then turned to Zhou Yang and smiled, "Zhou Yang, I heard from Wulin that you're very grateful for his help. It's getting late, and since we're on the way, why don't you come to my house for a simple meal? My aunt has prepared something delicious, and it'll be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other."

Zhou Yang was taken aback for a moment, and subconsciously wanted to refuse, but looking at Tang Ziran's gentle eyes and Tang Wulin's expectant look, and remembering that he was all alone and had nowhere to go, he nodded gently: "Then I'll trouble you, Uncle and Aunt."

Tang Wulin's home was in a residential area not far from the academy. It was a small but tidy courtyard with several unnamed wildflowers growing in it. When the wind blew, the fragrance of the flowers mixed with the aroma of food wafted over.

Lang Yue had already prepared the meal at home. Wearing an apron, she came to greet Tang Wulin with a gentle smile. Upon seeing Zhou Yang standing to the side, she immediately greeted him warmly, "You must be Wulin's friend! Come in and sit down. You must be tired from your journey. Auntie made seafood tofu soup and delicious fried small fish. Wulin said you're about his age, so you should like it."

The courtyard was bathed in warm, soft light. The square dining table was piled high with food, and steaming dishes emitted wisps of white mist that blurred the viewer's features. Lang Yue kept serving food to Tang Wulin and Zhou Yang, while Tang Ziran sat to the side, watching with a cheerful smile. Occasionally, she would ask Zhou Yang about his life, her tone warm and genuine, without any formality, only the pure concern of an elder.

As Zhou Yang held his bowl and chopsticks, watching the lively and heartwarming scene before him, his heart was gently filled with warmth.

Hmm, it's been a long time since I've eaten with anyone. The last time was with my grandma.

Halfway through the meal, Lang Yue noticed Zhou Yang was alone and couldn't help but ask softly, "Zhou Yang, it's been so long since your parents called. What are they doing?"

The once lively dinner table instantly became quieter.

Zhou Yang paused, his smile fading slightly, but his tone remained calm without a trace of sorrow: "I don't have a father or mother; my grandmother adopted me."

Tang Ziran and Lang Yue exchanged a glance, a hint of heartache flashing in their eyes. They quickly softened their tone, "I'm sorry, Zhou Yang, Auntie didn't mean to bring up your sad memories. Where's your grandma? Why wasn't she with you today?"

"My grandma is gone." Zhou Yang shook his head gently, his tone still calm. "Grandma used to have a son, I heard he was in the military and died on the front lines. Later, Grandma found me in swaddling clothes on a snowy day, so she adopted me and took care of me as her own grandson. But she passed away a year ago."

After the words were spoken, Tang Ziran and his wife fell completely silent. They looked at the child in front of them, who was only six years old. Despite having experienced the pain of losing a loved one, he remained calm and composed, without the slightest crying or complaint. They felt both heartache and respect for Zhou Yang's family.

After a moment of silence, Tang Ziran put down her chopsticks, looked at Zhou Yang with a serious expression, and said sincerely, "Zhou Yang, it must be really hard for you to live alone all by yourself. Why don't you move in with us? Your aunt and I will take care of you like our own son, and Wu Lin will have a companion, okay?"

Lang Yue nodded quickly, her eyes slightly reddening. She reached out and held Zhou Yang's hand, her tone sincere: "Yes, Zhou Yang, it's just a matter of one more pair of chopsticks. From now on, this will be your home. Auntie will cook for you and buy you new clothes. You don't have to carry everything alone anymore. We're here for you."

Feeling that kindness, Zhou Yang's mood was overwhelmed with a complex mix of emotions.

What a kind and gentle family!

Isn't this exactly the kind of existence that Kamen Riders wanted?

At this moment, Zhou Yang seemed to understand why those Kamen Riders would so relentlessly do such thankless tasks.

It truly lives up to its reputation as the being I admire, even though I mostly enjoy transforming into it to show off and look cool.

He knew he could never be as selfless as them. Zhou Yang had an incredibly clear self-awareness. Even with that power, he didn't believe he possessed that chivalrous spirit; everything he did was for his own benefit.

In terms of true character, the things he didn't do could fill a book of confessions.

As an ordinary person, he must have had his share of sin and darkness within him.

but--

Now that I have the power, it wouldn't be bad to protect some things that I consider precious.

Although the amount of Onmyoji power that can be mobilized is not much, it should be enough to protect the warmth in front of me that makes me feel good.

Zhou Yang felt a warmth in his heart. Looking at the sincere eyes of Tang Ziran and his wife, his hand trembled slightly before he finally withdrew it. He stood up and bowed to the two of them, saying, "Thank you, Uncle and Aunt. Thank you so much for your concern, but I cannot accept your request."

"Grandma said that although new shoots need protection, strong branches need to witness wind and rain. I can take care of myself now and can't trouble your family anymore."

His tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation, and filled with unparalleled confidence.

Seeing Zhou Yang's resolute expression, Tang Ziran and his wife knew he was stubborn and that further persuasion would be useless, so they could only sigh helplessly. Tang Ziran patted Zhou Yang's shoulder and said gently, "Alright, we won't force you. But Zhou Yang, remember, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can come to our house for help, and we will definitely assist you."

After the dinner, Zhou Yang got up to say goodbye. No matter how much Tang Ziran and his wife tried to persuade him, he refused to let them see him off and insisted on going home on his own.

"Uncle and Aunt, I know the way home very well, and I've already called a taxi to pick you up. You should get some rest. Goodbye, Wu Lin."

He waved his hand, turned and walked into the night. He was thin but upright, his steps were steady, and he showed no trace of a child's timidity. His figure looked particularly independent under the warm yellow streetlights.

Tang Ziran and his wife, along with Tang Wulin, stood at the courtyard gate, watching Zhou Yang's receding figure with deep emotion, while also being moved by the boy's perseverance.

"What a good child."

Tang Wulin clutched the hem of his clothes, gazing in the direction Zhou Yang had left, his eyes filled with admiration.

Originally, I had felt a little envious and jealous of Zhou Yang's martial spirit and innate soul power, but after hearing about Zhou Yang's background, it all vanished and was replaced by pure respect.

As a child raised in an ordinary family, although naive, I am also more likely to recognize the so-called "reality".

Even though his innate soul power was low, he still had his parents and family to encourage him. Geniuses in this world are ultimately a minority. He had awakened his Blue Silver Grass and still had soul power, which already put him ahead of most people. Thinking about it this way, he was actually quite fortunate.

After all, the hardest thing in the world is to be content.

Thinking back to the encouragement and words Zhou Yang had spoken to him today, Tang Wulin gradually understood their deeper meaning and realized that he had almost become obsessed with the matter of martial soul and innate soul power.

"I want to become strong like Brother Zhou Yang."