Zhao Sanshui had indeed guessed correctly. After completely absorbing the Demonic Qi from before, the Small Tripod had grown slightly stronger.
However, the increase was not significant, and it would go unnoticed without careful sensing.
The main reason the Small Tripod could act at full strength this time was that they had left the Cangwu Realm, so it no longer had to worry about causing any collateral damage.
It had been unable to act at full strength in Cangwu—if it used too much force, the Demonic Qi would react just as violently.
The Small Tripod's primary laws were devouring and refining, not protection. Only in the void could it act without any reservations.
As it unleashed its suction at full power, vast swathes of Demonic Qi surged toward it frantically. Yet before long, the Demonic Qi actually began scattering and fleeing.
Not a single Nascent Soul Realm Heavenly Demon appeared, as though none existed.
"Just as I thought, something's off," Qu Jianlei snorted, raising a hand to calculate again.
As the Demonic Qi dispersed, visibility gradually improved.
Visibility in the void had never been particularly good, but the difference was still quite apparent.
Vaguely, the Battalion-Class Ship spotted several more Piaos ahead. By all logic, they should also possess Nascent Soul cultivation.
Golden Core Realm cultivators found it difficult to survive in the void for long, and even Heavenly Demons were no exception.
Piaos had tough hides, but Golden Core Realm Piaos should not have been able to endure it, much less continue moving about actively as they were now.
These Piaos appeared to be searching for something. They drifted about while occasionally firing off a spell.
Finally, at a certain moment, one of the octopuses noticed something wrong. It turned its head and saw a warship charging toward it.