Ling Yan immediately Rushed towards Iris's previous position. He couldn't believe that she disappeared.
"Where's my sister..... Where is she!" Long Chen yelled and coughed out a mouthful of blood and then passed out.
Wei Ming and Fan Jin rushed to him and fed him a high grade pill to at least stabilize him. Xiu Mei remained with her grieving Martial Brother Ye Shan. Ye Shan was devastated, even more devastated than his Martial siblings, Fan Jin, Xiu Mei and the now missing Iris. He blamed himself for failing the Holy son and for failing the Guardian Wei Ming.
Ling Yan forced his weak body to search the surrounding but Iris was nowhere to be found. He half-walked and half-crawled back to his companions and for the first time, since a long time, He shed tears. His first Friend, his best friend was gone. He was broken that he couldn't help her and now he couldn't find her.
The sound of a muffled sob snapped him out of his drowning state. He turned to see Xiu Mei hugging The Limp Ye Shan who had passed out from qi loss and blood loss as well as the pain of loosing his master and his Junior.
"There is no time to grief. We need to treat our wounded companions and take care of little Chen. Xu Lan would have wanted us to take care of her Younger brother" Wei Ming said suppressing his own grief. He lost his father too but he needed to be strong for all of them.
Ling Yan dragged his body from his kneeling position and went to help Fan Jin carry Long Chen.
It's been months since Iris's disappearance. Ye Shan was back to full health and Wei Ming Struggled a little to adjust to his new position as Holy son.
Long Chen remained unconscious. He seemed unwilling to wake up to face reality. His personal servant had reported a couple of times that he shed tears in his unconscious state.
Wei Ming joined hands with the Ming yue sect leader to Seal the Nether world gateway that was opened slightly by the agreement of the mad Sovereign of the Scarlet sect and the Nether beast king.
They fought and destroyed some smaller nether beasts that slipped through the cracks in the gateway.
Wei Ming together with the Ming yue sect leader and the Emperors of the various Empires established a peaceful coexistence and the world was at peace but even with all the peace, Wei Ming and his companions felt the emptiness of Iris's disappearance.
FIVE YEARS LATER
Ling Yan and Wei Ming continued to search for Iris relentlessly. Two years after Iris's disappearance, Long Chen finally regained consciousness and held his mother's funeral. Emperors and Sect leaders Attended the funeral. And two years later, Long Chen Decided that he wanted to become the sect leader of the Ming yue sect and his master gladly retired. He wanted to use every resources to find his sister. He was sure she was alive somewhere.
SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAIN
"Will you really not return?" The fire Qilin asked.
"Cannot go back. I've kept too much secrets. I failed to protect my mother" A now more mature Iris said. Her usual cold eyes were much more distant and empty.
"Do you think they blame me?" She asked after a long pause.
"Look kid, the more you stay away the more you hurt yourself and your companions" The fire Qilin said tiredly.
"Do you think he'll forgive me?" She asked this time, with a far away look.
"He will" the fire Qilin answered.
"Now get going. You have crowded my domain for too long." He concluded.
BACK AT THE SAGE PAVILION
"Still no news from the search party?" Wei Ming asked his Appointed Guardian, Ye Shan and New elder Ling Yan.
"Not yet, but we'll keep looking" Ye Shan replied.
"Long Chen?" Wei Ming asked.
"Nothing either" Long Chen replied tiredly.
As they continued to discuss, a disciple rushed in "Master! Sect leader Long! Elder Ling! It's miss Long! She's back." The disciple shouted. Wei Ming and Long Chen immediately teleported outside.
"Little Chen..." Iris called when she saw her brother.
"Big sis..." Long Chen called back and broke into a Sprint towards her. He immediately embraced her tightly as if she would disappear again.
"It's really you...." He cried.
"I.... I'm so sorry little Chen...I failed you and.... mother" Iris said as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
"No.... you... didn't...." Long Chen said and hugged her tighter.
After their reunion, Iris finally came clean to them. She told them everything including the fact that she was not the Real Long Xu Lan and that she was a soul from another world that transmigrated into the body of Long Xu Lan but instead of the betrayal and hate she expected to see in the eyes of her brother and companions, she saw pity and pure love. She explained her identity and her previous life that seemed to fascinate her brother and her Best friend Ling Yan.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER
"Big sis! Hurry!"Long Chen yelled while waving at his approaching sister.
Today was her birthday and her companions prepared a surprise party for her. It wasn't her birthday as Long Xu Lan but her birthday as Iris Bane the rich heiress of the Bane Enterprise from her previous life.
Long Chen practically pulled Her into the ballroom where the surprise party was being held.
"Happy birthday!!" Everyone including the Emperor of Xuan Yuan empire wished with big smiles.
THE END
MUCH đź’–đź’–đź’–đź’– FROM YOUR AUTHOR Divine_Phoenix_3386.