Chapter 372: Saving from Fire

One glance showed her that Ehuang had been knocked to the ground, and those behind were about to step over her; Pan Yun tore down a curtain, whipped it out with a swish, wrapped it around a man's waist, and yanked him up, shouting: "Stop shoving! What's this fight to you? If you run out, can you jump into the water? The deck can't hold this many people..."

In that instant, a loud bang echoed; Pan Yun turned back to see the two entangled figures had somehow knocked over a lantern—when it hit the ground, spilled wine ignited with a burst, flames racing swiftly up the curtain.

Two nearby girls were instantly scorched by the fire, their thin garments catching fire at once.

They screamed in terror and bolted outward; the fire surged violently.

Pan Yun's face darkened; she whipped the curtain toward the two with a swish, then flew forward to embrace the panicked girls, "Don't run—"

The curtain wrapped them tightly, cutting off air and smothering the flames—but in that brief moment, the fire exploded in size; Wang Cong and the other three quickly shed their outer robes and began slapping at the flames.

The fire spread too fast; panicked escapees scattered sparks onto many.

Though it was the first month, the weather remained cold, but the girls wore thin clothes that ignited easily—those burned were all of them.

Wang Cong saw the fire was uncontrollable, thick smoke rolling; he spun and kicked open a window, scanned the room—and found no container for water. Could he use a wine flask to extinguish it?

He stood firm, steadied his breath, formed a hand seal, murmured a spell, pointed a finger out the window—a stream as thick as an arm shot in, rushing straight for the flames.

Xue Yi, screaming and slapping at her own clothes, saw it and shouted loudly: "Master! Master! The fire's big here—put it out here first, put it out here—"

Miao Zhen and Miao He, seeing the boat half-burned and two others trapped deeper inside, no longer cared about exposure; they focused, steadied themselves, preparing to mimic their senior brother and summon water—when someone scrambled up and crashed into them from the side.

Miao Zhen and Miao He nearly fell; the qi they'd just raised instantly leaked away.

They stamped their feet, ready to raise their qi again—when the boat lurched violently, tilting sharply toward the front-left.

Too many crowded the front; they'd heard the screams and splashes ahead.

Pan Yun flung the rescued girls outward, landing them safely near the cabin door; then she whipped the curtain, leaping over the flames, wrapping the two fallen figures inside, yanked—both flew through the fire and were tossed forward.

As the curtain retracted, it struck and brought down the cabin's other curtains; all fell instantly, obscuring most of the view. At the same time, she formed a hand seal and gestured out the window—a massive torrent surged up, crashing with a slap against burning furniture and people...

Xue Yi was stunned; those slapping at their own flames were stunned too.

Pan Yun kicked away the old man still pinning the Young Master.

Wang Cong glanced at his thin stream, then at Pan Yun's massive column, silently withdrew his hand, and kicked open another window: "Little Auntie, there's this one too."

Pan Yun gestured; another water column, as wide as the window, surged in, crashing with a slap onto the fire—soon, the flames on the boat were extinguished.

Xue Yi threw herself to her knees before Pan Yun with a thud.

Xiao Hong, clutching her handkerchief and huddled in the corner pretending fear, timidly pointed out the window: "Mama, so many sisters fell into the river."

Xue Yi snapped back to reality, immediately kowtowed to Pan Yun: "Master, please save my daughters~~"

Pan Yun kicked open the window, glanced out—the dark river surface churned with struggling figures; a few gurgled and fell silent.

Pan Yun turned: "Tell those on deck to come inside—clear the space."

Xue Yi immediately obeyed, scrambling up and dragging the crowd blocking the cabin door inward: "What are you all doing here? The fire's out—get inside, all of you!" Her authority as madam took effect; the girls filed in, allowing the guards and servants trapped in the middle to squeeze through.

The pleasure barge was large; the deck by the cabin door was small, but space remained on both sides.

It was when guards and servants rushed in to fight the fire, and the girls and guests tried to flee out—that the two groups collided, shoved, and pushed people into the river.

As soon as guests and girls fell in, the guards and servants on the outer side began rescuing them.

But too many people, the tilt, the boat's lurch—those on the front-left deck tumbled down in a rush.

Too many fell; the servants couldn't save them all.

People from shore and nearby boats arrived, helping haul people from the river.

Pan Yun kicked open both windows, leapt through into the river: "Wang Cong, what are you all standing there for? Save them!"

Now that she'd used magic, there was no point hiding anymore; Wang Cong and the others flew onto the river, snatching people and tossing them onto the barge.

Pan Yun lightly tapped the water's surface with her toes, grabbed a thrashing figure, and hurled them onto the barge.

The body landed with a thud right at Xue Yi's feet.

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Xue Yi gasped: "It's Siqin! Quick, help her up, get the water out!"

The five of them darted like dragonflies skimming water, hauling people up; Pan Yun moved fastest—after tossing three, she plunged into the water with a splash, right where the two had sunk.

Underwater, darkness. Pan Yun blinked, activated her talent—and saw the riverbed clearly.

Nothing ahead. She sank deeper, sensed the current's flow, swept her hand forward—and spotted the two limp figures sinking.

Pan Yun kicked off, rushed forward, seized each by the collar, and surged upward—broke the surface, tossed them onto the boat.

It looked violent, but she'd dissipated some force—though they landed with a thump, they weren't hurt.

But the two on the boat lay motionless; Pan Yun shouted: "Tao Yanbai, save them!"

Tao Yanbai had carried three people back and forth—he was spent; carrying one drained his internal energy fast. He stayed on the boat to tend to those brought up. Hearing Pan Yun's call, he rushed to check the two—opened one's mouth, pressed on the abdomen, while ordering someone to hang the woman upside down and shake her: "Or place her belly on your knee and press hard..."

Wang Cong and the other three gradually grew exhausted, slowed, stopped—only Pan Yun kept hauling people.

Fortunately, nearby boats helped; soon, all visible figures were pulled from the river.

A boatman shouted: "Several more sank to the bottom!"

Pan Yun flew back onto the boat, dropped the two coughing figures she carried, and asked grimly: "How many 'several'? Where exactly?"

The boatman pointed frantically: "Looks like there, there, and there—just now the boat lurched left, and many fell. I don't know how many sank."

(End of Chapter)