Cheng Hao's display of skill had thoroughly awed everyone, sparking their excitement.
They began to exclaim,
"Good heavens! That's incredible, he actually managed to take down such a large man! What's there to be afraid of now?! No one needs to fear being bullied up close!"
"This eldest young master of the Cheng family is truly capable! I thought he was just dabbling!"
"How could that be? Look at his skills! He's not someone who lacks substance! Not only is he capable in academics, but he's also formidable in martial arts!"
"My, oh my! He's accomplished in both civil and martial arts! Old Master Cheng is truly blessed!"
"It's all thanks to having money at home! Only then can one raise their children so well!"
"Alas! If you ask me, it's the eldest young master Cheng himself who is capable! How many wealthy young masters are not into all sorts of vices?! It must be said that young master Cheng has good character! He was a good child from the start, no wonder he's so capable!"
"I'm most envious of his new bride right now, to have such a good husband!"
Others chimed in, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Truly, it was enough to make anyone envious.
Having such a good and reliable husband, some women began to talk about how doting he was towards his wife. Hearing this, the other women became even more envious.
Unaware of these gossips, Cheng Hao was busy answering questions for those eager to learn. He then noticed everyone's eyes sparkling, and they said they hadn't seen enough.
They asked him to demonstrate a couple more moves!
While Cheng Hao's physical strength now wasn't as great as in his past life, nor comparable to Su Miaomiao's, he hadn't forgotten any of the moves etched into his memory.
Moreover, his current body had good potential; it was just that it lacked training. However, with frequent practice recently, it had improved considerably.
Therefore, compared to others present, he was still quite formidable.
In response to everyone's anticipation,
He naturally agreed, saying it was no problem and that he'd let them watch closely.
However, there was no one present who could spar with him.
So he called out towards another side of the temple. Su Miaomiao, who was in the crowd of women, immediately scurried over with great speed.
The other women had already been captivated by the men, so Su Miaomiao could only ask them to listen for now. She was then called over to assist with the demonstration.
She readily agreed.
Seeing her approach, Cheng Hao adopted a stance. Though his movements weren't large, it was a ready-to-engage and defensive posture. Su Miaomiao didn't hesitate and charged forward like a little leopard, immediately launching her attacks towards him.
Everyone was once again startled by her explosive power. It looked like a real fight.
And indeed, it was.
A sparring match should be taken seriously, after all.
However, Su Miaomiao knew that Cheng Hao wasn't as capable as before, so she held back her strength. She always took sparring seriously and never treated it lightly.
The two began to fight on the spot.
They traded blows.
The process was fraught with tension.
Everyone worried for the young couple, but they were even more awestruck.
By the later stages, everyone realized that both of them were holding back their strength, merely sparring. However, it was clear that Su Miaomiao was more agile, and her moves were wilder, making it impossible to predict her next action.
But who was Cheng Hao?
He was someone who had grown up with her, practically inseparable since birth.
Naturally, he could predict her moves.
Thus, he was able to block them, though he appeared somewhat clumsy and stiff.
A body that hadn't trained in martial arts couldn't compare to Su Miaomiao's system-gifted physique. But it was still quite impressive, enough to awe everyone.
Su Miaomiao was essentially treating it as play. She had always enjoyed sparring with Cheng Hao since childhood, and both of them had a strong competitive spirit.
Therefore, as they fought, they became more serious.
In the end, Cheng Hao lost, but it was within their expectations.
After the couple stopped, panting, everyone began to applaud, already greatly excited. In their eyes, this spar was spectacular.
The objective had been achieved.
Su Miaomiao squinted and smiled. Cheng Hao stretched his sore shoulders and smiled, then affectionately patted her head, praising her for being truly amazing.
She then left contentedly, telling everyone to learn well.
Everyone hadn't expected her to know martial arts, and furthermore, to be more skilled than Cheng Hao. This astonished them even more, but it also strengthened their resolve.
After all, if the young lady could learn martial arts, why couldn't they?
Cheng Hao had initially not intended for Su Miaomiao's martial arts skills to be revealed, but he later thought it was necessary. It would be more convenient later on, better than revealing it later and causing discord among others.
Seeing the results now, it was indeed effective. Although everyone was curious, they didn't inquire further, more concerned about whether they themselves could learn.
Cheng Hao then said, "As long as you study diligently, you naturally can. At the very least, you'll be much better off than if you hadn't learned martial arts. Later, I will also teach everyone how to exploit weaknesses, both in people and in other animals!"
He stated that his teaching was aimed at improving everyone's security.
Everyone was not to use martial arts against their own people. If someone were to use martial arts against their own people...
"At that time, do not blame me for being merciless. I am teaching everyone martial arts to strengthen their bodies, protect themselves and their families, or indeed, the people in our caravan. It is for everyone to watch out for each other. But if you use it to harm yourselves, we will punish you according to the severity of the offense. Top offenders will even be executed, while secondary offenders will be crippled and expelled from the caravan. Others will receive a beating and self-reflection..."
Cheng Hao's words stunned everyone with his seriousness.
The young man had always had a cheerful and approachable demeanor. Although they knew he had authority, it wasn't to the point of being frightening. But when he laid down these rules today, it genuinely made them nervous.
They felt a tremor of fear.
Everyone quickly assured him that they wouldn't, shaking their heads like rattles.
Cheng Hao offered both a stick and a carrot. Seeing that everyone had taken his words to heart, he explained why such severe rules were set, "...Fists and feet have no eyes, so you must understand the consequences of using martial arts. If you injure or kill someone and then regret it, it will be irreversible."
Furthermore, he stated that bullying others would not be tolerated, because if someone cultivates a seed of violence, they would eventually bully you too. Therefore, such behavior would be absolutely forbidden within the caravan!
Everyone suddenly understood the young man's good intentions and expressed their understanding.
They couldn't help but marvel at his composure.
He considered everything so thoroughly; even adults couldn't match him.
Cheng Hao wasn't puffed up by others' praise. He wasn't the head of the Cheng family. Seeing his equanimity, everyone treated him with even greater seriousness, absolutely unwilling to regard him as just a young man.
With his capabilities,
He likely surpassed many heads of wealthy families with just a single finger.
It was truly admirable.
After Cheng Hao's demonstration, he once again reinforced the concept in everyone's minds before teaching some basic exercises, warming them up for the next lesson.