BOOM!
As the specially processed Qi that Basil's Technique had produced clashed against the fireball Cabalen had sent, an explosion that blinded the surrounding and deafened everyone occured.
Basil's Technique cut the fireball in half, but other than himself and Cabalen, no one saw that happened. The remaining processed Qi still kept advancing towards Cabalen afterwards, but he could easily slap it to the side.
While Lucilla and the Legion Commanders were busy with their own fight, the other people were too bewildered to properly register what was happening. They didn't see the attack was coming, so no one had anticipated something like this to happen.
It wasn't until the explosion died down did the people realize that Basil had saved hundreds of them by blocking Cabalen's sneak attack. They, of course, didn't know that Basil's reason for doing that wasn't them, but Iliana.