The chains at the end of the Stone Stairway Tunnel were far heavier than those outside the helm area of the Ji Chamber.
With Chu Youwei on his back, Lu Feng was pulled upward by the chains. As they crossed the height of several Stone Chambers in succession, there was scarcely any jolting, allowing both of them to ease their tension somewhat.
"Seems like it's about to stop?"
Feeling the chains' lifting speed gradually slow, Chu Youwei looked toward the Stone Chamber above. Seeing an air vent there emitting a faint glow, she said, "This should be... the Ren Chamber?"
Lu Feng nodded. Before this, he had silently been calculating their ascent as well. The area where the chains were now steadily coming to a halt corresponded precisely to the Ren Chamber, ninth among the Ten Heavenly Stems along the sword body.
Chu Youwei raised her head to look at the long stretch of chains still above them. Seeing another air vent faintly visible overhead, she understood that it should be the final Stone Chamber—the Gui Chamber.
"Seems there's someone there!"
Lu Feng suddenly spoke, his gaze turning toward the air vent of the Ren Chamber not far ahead.
Chu Youwei's brows furrowed as well. She vaguely heard quiet voices drifting out from within the Ren Chamber.
"Hold tight!" Lu Feng warned Chu Youwei. Then, tugging the chain, he leaped upward to the Ren Chamber's air vent. With Chu Youwei still on his back, he hooked one hand over the edge of the opening and steadied himself.
The commotion caused by that leap was not small. Lu Feng had expected the people inside the Ren Chamber to notice him, yet it seemed they had not sensed his presence at all.
Before looking inside, Lu Feng first felt a chill against