Btth: Xiao yan with killing system

Xiao Yan's footsteps were steady as he approached Tian Hao's fortress, the towering stone gates looming in front of him like a dark omen. His heart thudded in his chest, but not with the excitement of a battle to come. This was different. The weight of his ambition pressed down on him, and for the first time, doubt crept into his mind. He had spent so long chasing power, each victory leaving him with a sense of emptiness that he couldn't shake. But now, standing before the fortress of the powerful 9-Star Dou Zong, the reality of his journey hit him harder than ever.

Tian Hao's fortress was no ordinary structure. It was an imposing citadel made of dark stone, and the air around it hummed with a strange energy that made Xiao Yan's senses tingle. He could feel the presence of Tian Hao before he even stepped foot inside. There was something ancient and powerful about the place, and Xiao Yan's thoughts flickered to the system's constant messages.

> "Target: Tian Hao, 9-Star Dou Zong. Success Probability: 60%. Warning: Host's mental stability at 15%. Life force absorption increasing at an accelerated rate."

He ignored the warning. It had become a background noise, a constant reminder that he was no longer the man he used to be. Each victory, each life absorbed, had been a step toward greater strength, but it had also been a step further away from his humanity. Xiao Yan knew it. He could feel the subtle shifts in his thoughts, the growing distance between himself and the person he once was. Yet he refused to stop. Power was all that mattered now.

Su Mei walked beside him, her expression unreadable. She had said little since their last conversation, though the concern in her eyes never wavered. She could feel it too—the darkness that was creeping into Xiao Yan. The man who had once been driven by a desire to protect the ones he loved was now driven by an insatiable hunger for more. It pained her to watch, but she knew there was nothing she could do. The Xiao Yan she knew was slipping away, and the path he was on seemed destined for tragedy.

"Xiao Yan…" Su Mei finally spoke, her voice soft but laced with worry. "Please, think about what you're doing. You don't have to keep going down this path. The power you're chasing… it's not the answer."

Xiao Yan turned to her, his gaze cold and distant. "You don't understand. You've never understood." His voice was harsh, almost unrecognizable. "This is the only way. If I don't keep going, I'll never be strong enough. I'll never be able to protect anyone, never be able to defeat the real threats."

Su Mei took a step back, her expression faltering. It was clear that Xiao Yan had made his choice. "I'm scared of what you're becoming," she whispered, almost too quietly for him to hear. "You're not the same person anymore. The Xiao Yan I knew would never have done this."

Xiao Yan clenched his fists, his heart beating faster. For a brief moment, the words seemed to break through his armor, and something flickered in his eyes—an old memory, a distant echo of the man he once was. But it was fleeting. The hunger for power burned too brightly, and before he could give in to the weakness, he pushed the thoughts away.

"Enough," he snapped. "Let's go. We're wasting time."

Su Mei said nothing more, her eyes heavy with sorrow. She followed him into the fortress, but she knew that she was losing him. Xiao Yan was no longer the person she had once admired. He was someone else now—someone driven by something far darker.

The interior of the fortress was just as imposing as the exterior, with vast halls lit by flickering torches and walls covered in intricate carvings. Xiao Yan's senses were on high alert, every inch of the place filled with danger. He could feel the presence of Tian Hao—powerful, ancient, and patient. Tian Hao had been waiting for this moment, knowing that Xiao Yan would come for him. The question was whether Xiao Yan would survive it.

As they entered the grand hall, a figure stepped out from the shadows. He was tall and imposing, dressed in dark robes that shimmered with an ethereal light. His eyes glowed with a fierce, otherworldly intensity. Tian Hao. A 9-Star Dou Zong, one of the most powerful individuals in the Black-Corner Region. His aura was overwhelming, pressing down on Xiao Yan with the weight of a thousand mountains.

"So, you are Xiao Yan," Tian Hao's voice echoed through the hall, a deep, resonating sound that made the air itself vibrate. "I've heard much about you. But I wonder—how far will you go to claim the power you so desperately seek?"

Xiao Yan's gaze hardened, his hand instinctively reaching for his Dou Qi. "I've come for you," he said, his voice unwavering. "This ends today."

Tian Hao chuckled, a low, dark sound that filled the room. "You truly believe you can defeat me?" His smile was cold, filled with condescension. "You have no idea what you're up against."

Before Xiao Yan could respond, the entire hall seemed to shift. The walls warped, and the floor beneath them trembled. Tian Hao's power filled the room, manifesting in an overwhelming wave of pressure that sent ripples through the air. Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay grounded. The system's voice spoke once more, but Xiao Yan barely heard it.

> "Warning: Host's energy at critical levels. System shutting down all non-essential functions."

But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except the battle ahead. Xiao Yan's Dou Qi surged, his body exploding with power as he rushed forward, his fist crackling with energy. Tian Hao's laughter echoed as he effortlessly dodged the attack, moving with a grace that belied his immense power. The fight had begun, and for the first time in a long while, Xiao Yan felt the exhilaration of a true challenge.

But deep inside, a part of him wondered if this was the final step down a path from which there would be no return.

---