[Countless swordsmen admired her, gathering under her banner, even the once-crippled Sword Leader joined her, strategizing and nurturing talents.]

[Over ten years, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse repeatedly joined forces to besiege Dongfang Mingyue, but under her wit and the staunch support of the crippled Sword Leader, they narrowly escaped crisis, though the resistance suffered numerous heavy blows.]

[The Four Horsemen gradually forced them into despair, with Dongfang Mingyue’s resistance retreating to their last stronghold—Dubhe City.]

[In the city, the life of the crippled Sword Leader reached its end: "Leader, that disastrous defeat, without the Seven-Star Divine Sword, our bloodline can no longer awaken."]

["Sword Leader, is there any other way?" Dongfang Mingyue knew without swordsmen at the Sword Leader Level, they couldn’t contend with the Apocalypse Knights.]

["Unless we can forge a new Divine Sword... Our clan has searched for hundreds of years... so difficult..." The Sword Leader closed his eyes, his voice weak, "Henceforth it’s up to you alone, be extra cautious when facing the Apocalypse Knights..."]

[Everyone present remained silent, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.]

[In the face of the Four Horsemen, these high-tier swordsmen and Sword Saints were nothing but ants, no one able to stand behind Dongfang Mingyue, they could continue fleeing but saw no hope of victory.]

[A breath of despair loomed over everyone’s heart like a shadow.]

[Just then, a woman dressed in a white dress arrived gracefully. She gazed at the Demon Sword, which had ascended to the rank of Profound Artifact, and smiled:]

["Eastern Leader, I know of a secret sword forging technique from ancient times that might help us reforge the Divine Sword."]

[I focused on the white-dressed woman from within the Demon Sword.]

["Zhuang Xinyao!" I gritted my teeth, spitting out the name, a killing intent surged in my heart like a torrent.]

[It was her, the one who once pushed me into the furnace, plunging me into endless despair, leaving me only barely surviving within this Demon Sword, Zhuang Xinyao.]

[Decades have passed, yet Zhuang Xinyao’s visage seemed to have been forgotten by time, unchanged!]

[Dongfang Mingyue and the others responded as if grasping the last lifeline, urgently inquiring: "What method?"]

[Zhuang Xinyao explained: "According to ancient texts, the Seven-Star Divine Sword isn’t just seven stars, deep within that True Realm, lies an immensely powerful ’Hidden Star.’ We need someone who has cultivated the ’Breathing Technique’ to breaking limit, become one with the sword, and serve as the ’Hidden Star’ vessel, thus becoming the Divine Sword to illuminate the world."]

"In this way, everyone in Dongzhou can awaken the Divine Power as in ancient times."

"And this person, should ideally possess the bloodline of the Ancient Seven Swords to gain the ’Hidden Star’s recognition within the True Realm."]

[Dongzhou carries this legend, the Celestial Calamity Giant Beasts that once ravaged the land are part of the ’Hidden Star.’]

[Everyone present remained silent.]

[Here only one has cultivated the ’Flowing Water Breathing Method’ to the Supreme Realm, and that is Dongfang Mingyue, who descends from the noble Shaking Light Sword Leader lineage, her blood resonating with the ’Hidden Star’s power.]

[Dongfang Mingyue looked at the others, even relying on the "Unrivaled Bright Moon’s" ’Wind of Suffocation,’ she could barely protect herself against one Apocalypse Knight’s offensive, against two she could only retreat.]

[To end this.]

[There is only one way left, Dongfang Mingyue stood up: "Then I shall retrieve the ’Hidden Star’..."]

[I emitted a buzzing sound from Dongfang Mingyue’s waist, my thoughts reached her ears, "Ming Yue, don’t trust her, I met her once decades ago, this person is suspicious... she seeks to gain the ’Hidden Star Divine Sword.’"]

[Dongfang Mingyue remained expressionless, Wushuang, due to the Demon Sword’s influence, felt dead inside, usually maintaining a state of ’Absolute Calmness,’ never easily showing emotional fluctuations.]

[Is Wushuang worried for her?]

[Dongfang Mingyue blocked out my voice, looking at Zhuang Xinyao with a serious gaze.]

[Zhuang Xinyao spread her arms, suddenly extending a pair of pure white wings from her back, making a promise: "When I become a god, there will be no more suffering in the world."]

["Angel?!!" Everyone exclaimed, instinctively retreating a few steps, eyes full of astonishment and confusion.]

[Zhuang Xinyao revealed her true self, speaking gently: "I am not one of the Empire’s angels. Your civilization attracted the Angel Race’s covetousness due to the ’Dark Titanium Element,’ and I have come to save you."]

[The crowd looked at each other, they had no way out.]

[Seven days later, the Apocalypse Knights’ army arrived at the city.]

[Dongfang Mingyue held the Demon Sword, staring blankly at the furnace, she knew when slaying the Breaking Sky Dragon Whale that the ’Hidden Star’ was there, yet hesitated... but this was her duty as Princess Mingzhu.]

["Ming Yue, even without that sword, we can still win!" I advised.]

["We only need to slay all the Giant Beasts in the True Realm, the Demon Sword will undergo a new transformation, ascending to God Sword!"]

[Such lies.]

[The Demon Sword had reached its limit at the "Lower-grade Profound Artifact" level, unable to contain the power of other Giant Beasts.]

[Throughout these years, I let the Demon Sword devour countless Demon Spirits, yet it showed no qualitative leap, the secret to the Demon Sword’s evolution lies in the soul of the Sword Holder.]

[Dongfang Mingyue was silent for a moment before smiling: "Mr., you wouldn’t lie."]

[She paused, placing the Demon Sword close to her chest, I could feel her heartbeat, Dongfang Mingyue whispered softly: "Thank you for staying with Ming Yue for so long."]

["If Ming Yue were not Princess Mingzhu, not the Sword of Freedom, not burdened with the future of so many in Dongzhou. If possible... in the next life I hope to always be by your side."]

["I’m sorry."]

[Immediately, Dongfang Mingyue no longer hesitated, leaping into the blazing flames, allowing the rampant tongues of fire to completely engulf her, transforming into a brilliant radiance.]

[Only I cared whether she lived, while all they wanted was victory.]

[My emotions suddenly surged like a storm, then I forced myself into a ’neither living nor dead’ state, eyes indifferent, yet the dead silent heart lake akin to a stormy sea, unable to calm.]

[I am only a sword, I cannot do anything.]

[This time, it’s my turn to taste the bitterness of ’powerlessness.’]

...

[Not long after, dazzling light burst across the sky, like a divine gift, illuminating every inch of Dongzhou.]

[Under this sacred radiance, the bloodlines of everyone in Dongzhou seemed awakened, effortlessly mastering the ability to control wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.]

[Zhuang Xinyao actually didn’t deceive anyone.]

[I don’t know what kind of world ’Dongfang Mingyue’ created with her life, nor do I want to know. To a sword, what significance does the myriad of worldly squabbles hold?]

[In the following ten years, the sounds of slaughter constantly echoed in my ears.]

[So noisy!]

[So incredibly noisy!!]

[I grew weary of it all within the Demon Sword, suddenly comprehending the true essence of "pain" that Ah Feng understood...]

[Since the world is so painful.]

[Then—]

[End it!]

[End all pain!]

...