No one had expected that this arena match, which everyone had considered a foregone conclusion from the very beginning,
would ultimately be won by Song Qingming, whom no one had favored beforehand.
With his Nascent Soul Seventh Layer cultivation, he defeated a Nascent Soul Ninth Layer Peak expert from an established major sect, allowing the Carefree Sect to successfully join the ranks of the Top Ten Sects.
It was also an unprecedented feat of the weak overcoming the strong in the thousands of years since the Eastern Phoenix Sword Convention had been held.
This outcome, which no one had anticipated, truly stunned every cultivator watching the battle.
Some who did not know the truth even suspected that Hu Canghai, who served as the referee, had deliberately targeted True Lord Jingyue and declared Song Qingming the victor.
Only those Nascent Soul Late Stage Cultivators with stronger divine senses revealed knowing expressions.
Before the two men's final strike on the arena had concluded, True Lord Jingyue had been the first to touch the great formation's barrier outside, and was thus judged to have lost the match.
Although Song Qingming had also been struck by the other party's azure light and sent flying from the arena with injuries,
he had touched the great formation's barrier several breaths later than True Lord Jingyue, making it a narrow victory.
Moreover, judging by their injuries, True Lord Jingyue had clearly come off worse.
Even if they had touched the formation at the same time and the outcome had remained undecided, judging from their conditions after the battle, Song Qingming should still have been the winner without question.
As the person involved, True Lord Jingyue naturally knew full well that he had lost.
After Hu Canghai announced the result, True Lord Jingyue did not argue for himself.