[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-heretic-trainer-the-gym-is-my-cultivation-method":3,"chapter-heretic-trainer-the-gym-is-my-cultivation-method-heretic-trainer-the-gym-is-my-cultivation-method-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Heretic Trainer: The Gym Is My Cultivation Method",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1633161,2099,"Chapter 20: First Real Fight","heretic-trainer-the-gym-is-my-cultivation-method-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>The scar-faced leader’s lips curled into a sneer as he watched his group being easily defeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can this be? Aren’t you two just lower-stage cultivators? How can you beat all four of them? All of them are tempering-stage cultivators!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion only smirked, stepping forward and locking his eyes on the leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then pointed at him, turning back to Dahlia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dahlia, he’s going to be your training partner, now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia blinked in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master! He’s at the tempering stage! I can’t fight him. And also, don’t forget that I have just finished working out; my energy is spent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you forget it already? Your cultivation keeps working on its own every day. And also, it quickly healed you, so you must have recovered some of your energy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tapped his chest once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And besides, technique beats raw strength if you use it right. Now use what you’re taught and defeat him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia could only swallow and nod, though her hands were trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could still feel her muscles tired from the workouts earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still, as her master said, her energy had recovered somewhat, and her breath was steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader’s face quickly turned to anger the moment he saw that Dahlia was the one facing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How dare you send a girl at me! Are you mocking me right now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then quickly took out his sword, eyes reddened in fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that’s the case, then I’ll cut your precious disciple down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion only grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mocking you? No. It’s just that your strength is only enough to be the practice dummy for her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader ignored Gairon as he turned to Dahlia and sneered, stepping forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come, girl. I’ll show you the fate of the people trying to mock me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia’s leg quickly felt like rubber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, she staggered and nearly fell. The bandit leader only laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this the one who dared come and face me? Are you kidding me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion smiled as he walked behind her, placing his hand steadily on her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Remember what I taught you. Breathing and form first. Don’t rush. Focus and try to use the best possible moves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She closed her eyes momentarily and let her mind slow. Then she opened her eyes and readied her stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit leader then rushed to her, swinging his sword in a fast arc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia quickly knew the sword’s path, but she was too slow to duck under it, and the sword managed to slash her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stumbled backward, and pain quickly flared in her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was it painful, but she felt ashamed, unable to dodge it, although she already knew it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion looked at her condition and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dahlia, do it again. This time, watch his wrist and do it slowly. This is just a practice. Don’t worry too much.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia heard it and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master is right. This is just a practice fight, and it’s the first time I’ve fought. It’s no wonder I make mistakes the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia breathed deeply and focused more. She watched how the bandit moved his whole arm from the shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the bandit came again, she moved with her hips and slid forward, catching his hand with both of her palms and twisting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader swore at her and tried to pull back, but Dahlia ignored him, using her hips and the arm twist to knock him off balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then dropped low, quickly locked his arm, and pulled him down into an armbar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit quickly howled in pain as the sword dropped from his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a second, the leader fought, trying to break his arm free, but the hold kept digging deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia looked up, furious and breathless. She tightened her hold just enough to deal enough pain without breaking it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit leader quickly roared in pain and begged her to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No more, please. You’re going to break my hand. I won’t disturb you any longer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia then let go slowly, and the leader quickly scrambled back, clutching his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of the bandits were now in fear of these two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just who are these two? How can they defeat us easily without any mana?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion knelt to Dahlia and checked her briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good, although there was a little cut, it will heal soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion then stood up, raising his thumb, approving her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And also, good work in doing that armbar. Just keep practicing and you will soon master all those moves I taught.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia exhaled hard, and a shaky smile appeared on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia stared at the groaning bandits, her eyes hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, what do you do with them? Should we make them into cadavers?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandits froze. No one knew that word, but they knew it was nothing good from her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion dropped his hand from her shoulder and blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cadavers? I already treated the ones in the room, so they were not smelly anymore. We don’t need to add more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then laughed, feeling a little proud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still... how merciless is my first disciple? You wanted to kill them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia flushed red, smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They came to rob us. Just like you said, if we released them, they would hurt others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion held up his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I get it. But still... for you to think about killing... It’s a bit too fast for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then smirked, thinking about what to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But still, we can’t just let them go. They needed to be punished. And also, they never did a leg day, did they?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dahlia’s face shifted from fierce to excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, can I train them? I want to teach them properly. If I correct them, I’ll learn faster too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garion nodded, approving her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright. Let them train until they have no energy left to do evil. Your lead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her grin was sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gladly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood and pulled the leader by his collar. He stumbled, swearing but not daring to fight back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other bandits watched, unsure whether to fight or obey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But seeing that Garion was here, they didn’t dare to disobey and follow Dahlia.\u003C\u002Fp>",1024,"2026-06-06T11:12:18.261Z",1,"novelbin.me","88f920888f2765c306f04961fba0a38696317636c12360e3d7e5ab6e1c7d8d7f","heretic-trainer-the-gym-is-my-cultivation-method-chapter-21","heretic-trainer-the-gym-is-my-cultivation-method-chapter-263",613,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fheretic-trainer-the-gym-is-my-cultivation-method-cover.jpg"]