From the sky, a group of Pyrite Drakes descended, their large, metallic wings catching the dim sunlight and casting shimmering reflections across the valley.
The drakes glided down with remarkable grace, their bodies covered in glistening, pyrite-like scales that sparkled like gold.
Each wing movement created a soft, metallic hum, adding to their imposing presence.
As they approached the nest, the drakes spread their wings wide to slow their descent, landing with a heavy thud that shook the ground slightly. Their sharp, piercing eyes scanned the surroundings, ever vigilant for any sign of threat.
Hidden in the corner, and covered by some twigs, Xu Feng spied on them.
'Good thing I hid fast and sprayed myself some elixir as well.' he thought to himself.
Aside from the Pyrite Drakes' perceptions, their nose of sniffing intruders was high as well.
Without the elixir masking his presence, he would have been discovered by these ferocious drakes already.
The elixir was effective against these drakes because they were unable to detect its presence, meaning these drakes were unaware of the danger they had been exposed to.
As they remained ignorant of Xu Feng's devious tactic, the drakes began to settle into their nest, making themselves comfortable after a long day out from hunting.
They preened their scales, using their claws to remove debris and dirt, ensuring their natural armor remained in pristine condition.
Occasionally, they snapped at each other, establishing their pecking order with swift bites and intimidating growls.
It was clear that these were the younglings of the drakes, enjoying their playtime.
'Yes, keep fooling around and absorb more of the elixirs.' Xu Feng waited in anticipation. He was perfectly still, becoming one with nature to avoid being found.
The effect of the elixir would take a while before these drakes realized what was going on. Thus, all Xu Feng needed to do now was wait until he saw the signs of them weakening and acting wildly.
Minutes passed as the drakes continued their routines, oblivious to the unseen threat. Xu Feng's eyes remained fixed on the creatures, noting every detail.
He watched as one of the drakes, slightly larger than the rest, seemed to take on a leading role, directing the others with authoritative gestures and occasional roars.
'This drake should be the alpha of the pack. If I take him down first, then disrupting the morale and teamwork of these drakes would be an easy cake.' He deduced silently.
As always, in any type of battle, if one took down the opposing team leader or commander, the rest of the people's morale would decrease tremendously.
Those who disagree with such statements are probably the people who constantly lose their battles or just straight up don't use their brain cells.
Sometime later, the alpha drake suddenly began to show signs of discomfort.
It shook its head and flapped its wings erratically, almost as if trying to shake off an invisible irritant.
'Heh, serve you right for being the biggest.' Xu Feng snickered inwardly the moment he witnessed the scene. Given the alpha drake was the biggest, its capability to absorb the elixir was naturally faster than any other drake in the area.
Thus, this alpha drake would be the first to notice any signs of discomfort surrounding its body.
Gradually, the other drakes also started to exhibit unusual behaviors. They were stumbling as they walked, their movements becoming sluggish, and occasionally letting out confused, pained cries.
'As expected of me, the elixir is working,' Xu Feng thought, suppressing a grin. He tightened his grip on the staff, readying himself for the right moment to strike.
Most of the drakes now were visibly weakened. Their once majestic and fluid motions were now awkward and clumsy. The alpha drake, in particular, seemed to be struggling the most, its powerful body betraying signs of internal turmoil.
As the drakes' distress grew, they began to turn on each other, snapping and clawing in confusion. The once peaceful nest turned into a scene of chaos.
Waiting patiently in his hiding spot, Xu Feng held the explosive pods with his other hand, his gaze locking on the most distressed ones, the alpha drake.
The alpha drake continued to stumble, and right when its wings were unproportional, he took this opportunity.
Without even speaking a word, Xu Feng hurled the explosive pods directly at its leg.
Startled, the alpha drake couldn't even comprehend the situation yet as its gaze locked onto the explosive pods. It was confused by this tiny object, but in the very next seconds, an explosion occurred.
The Drakebone Root and Sulfurivine components in the explosion reacted intensely with the touch, scale-like surfaces of the Pyrite Drake, corroding and weakening its structural integrity.
Additionally, the thermal disruption from the Frostpetal Blossom created an intense coldness, destabilizing the drake's thermal regulation and reducing its combat effectiveness.
The alpha drake shrieked in agony as it crashed on the ground, unable to move its legs that were corroded intensively by the explosive pods.
Other drakes finally took notice of their alpha being targeted and tried to assist him.
However, it was still a little bit too late, given Xu Feng had already arrived in front of the alpha drake, and with a cold expression, he stabbed its eye with his staff, coated with the elixir.
"RAWRRRRRRRR!" The alpha drake roared in agony while it attempted to flap its wings fiercely to blow Xu Feng away.
The force of the wingbeats buffeted Xu Feng, but he held his ground, gripping the staff tightly that was still attached to its eye. The drake's flailing only caused more damage to its already weakened body.
Not to mention, the corrosive and freezing effects of the elixir were rapidly taking their toll, rendering the drake's attempts to defend itself futile.
Seeing their alpha drake's in such distress, the other drakes were infuriated but also frightened by the scene. They were unsure of what to do, given that everything happened too fast.
And it was precisely this moment of their daze that Xu Feng took advantage of.
"Apologies, but this is nothing personal." Xu Feng muttered, hurling multiple more explosive pods at the other drakes and the alpha drake itself.