One-on-one, they really were not strong.
Their individual combat strength was actually around the middle of the pack among their peers, and they were so brainless that weaker opponents could easily defeat them.
As far as Ling Wuyuan was concerned.
After fighting and repeatedly experimenting with them over this period, he could now make that assessment of the [Deep Shadow Demon Fish] with reasonable accuracy.
Of course...
When outsiders entered the [Deadly Silent Deep Shadow Sea], the [Deep Shadow Demon Fish] certainly would not fight them one-on-one.
It was not that they were unwilling.
They simply lacked even the intelligence to consider such a thing.
Moreover, there was another crucial issue involved—[home-field advantage].
In fact, Ling Wuyuan had already sensed something of this earlier.
Once the [Deep Shadow Demon Fish] whose actual combat strength reached the [true form realm] appeared, Ling Wuyuan could tell outright that some special connection existed between this [Deadly Silent Deep Shadow Sea] and those [Deep Shadow Demon Fish].
The Shadow Traversal Passages they created, for instance, were evidence of that.
When they used that ability.
Ling Wuyuan could faintly sense a power present throughout the [Deadly Silent Deep Shadow Sea] entering into a special resonance with them. This allowed those [Deep Shadow Demon Fish] to expend only a negligible amount of power on Shadow Traversal, and even leave behind fairly stable shadow passages for their own kind to use at will.
Beyond that.
When the [Deep Shadow Demon Fish] whose strength reached the [heart domain realm] appeared.
Ling Wuyuan could sense with absolute clarity that this body of water called the [Deadly Silent Deep Shadow Sea] was strengthening those [Deep Shadow Demon Fish], making them even more powerful.
With those [Heart Domain Realm Deep Shadow Demon Fish] at the center, vast amounts of energy surged