At a nearby region, prior to the incident.
In all the thousands of years he had been alive, this was probably the lowest point for the fox god, Bai Qingyue.
Just as he was about to ascend to a High God, the pride of his clan, the Celestial Fox clan's Sovereign Lord received his lightning strike tribulation. It was the trial which every immortal and godly being must undergo in order to soar higher in the ranks of heavenly deities. However, instead of completing his ascension, Bai Qingyue descended to Earth. Adding insult to injury, one of his nine tails had evaporated in the process. It would take another one thousand years for his tail to grow back again.
Earthbound, he awoke to find himself covered in his own blood. Exhausted, he collapsed in a clump of grass while occupying a fox form; the immense pain of the lightning strike tribulation was still reverberating through his body. He was so damaged from this experience that he laid helplessly in the dirt, unable to make his limbs so much as twitch.
Unfortunately for him, his bad luck had not run out just yet.
An infamous demon hunter by the name of Zhou Shang just happened to be passing by after wiping out a Weasel Demon in a nearby village. As the senior hunter rode his steed across the barren hills, he came across the form of a fox laying still among the grass, apparently dead.
Zhou Shang dismounted and approached the animal slowly, on the lookout for any peculiarities. It didn't take long for Zhou Shang to deduce that this was indeed a Fox Demon. This was a rare and fortunate discovery for the hunter. These demons were hard to come by. Thanks to their tricks, uncanny wit, and boundless charm, they managed to easily outmaneuver even the most skilled demon hunters.
Zhou Shang unclasped the binding of the saddlebag upon his horse and reached inside, taking a pair of jade bangles from within. They weren't just any jade bangles, though, these trinkets were runed with powerful charms, capable of sealing the powers of demons, even ones of the highest rank. He grabbed the Fox Demon, slipping a bangle over each of its paws, just to be on the safe side. Zhou Shang quickly got back on his horse. He gave the steed a hard kick and rode swiftly towards the nearest Taoist Monastery.
While passing by that very same monastery earlier in his travels he had noticed a sign posted on their warrant board seeking Demon Hunters. It asked that any live specimens or corpses of demonic entities be brought to Ever Eclipse Monastery for the monks to use in the learning and betterment of their spells. A negotiable reward made the offer all the more tempting.
"I will make a quick buck with you," Zhou Shang declared with satisfaction as he gave the hindquarters of the 'dead' Fox Demon a few slaps. The fur under his fingertips felt silky and soft to the touch. Had he not known what a large profit he could gain by selling it, he would have probably made a nice bag out of its pelt.
Meanwhile, the apparent 'Fox Demon', Bai Qingyue, silently gnashed his fangs with fury. It went without saying that he had never been so humiliated in his life. There he was, being dragged around like a sack of potatoes by this wretched human, only to be sold off like a piece of old meat. Worse yet, the awful man had dared to slap his behind.
His behind!
In order to truly understand the horror of this scenario, one would have to know that Bai Qingyue had been alive for over ten thousand years. He was the shining pearl of his tribe, the leader of the Celestial Fox Clan. His strength immeasurable, his nobility unquestioned. In fact, as Sovereign Lord, there were very few entities he would ever have to answer to. With his fast cultivation and rich upbringing, Bai Qingyue quickly became one of the most powerful Celestial Foxes in the Heavenly Realm. That's right. He was no mere Fox Demon. He was a true nine tailed Celestial Fox from the Heavenly Realm!
This was, in fact, Bai Qingyue's first time on Earth. The only humans he had ever interacted with were those of noble bearing whom, through hard work and dedication, had managed to ascend to the Heavens and join the ranks of immortals and gods alike. Those immortal humans were sages, full of wisdom and dignity. They had truly given him a positive impression of their society. Yet here he was with this buffoon who not only mistook him for a mere Fox Demon, but a dead one at that.
Bai Qingyue was seething with rage at this, but was still unable to move or make a sound. He had no choice but to slowly recuperate until at least a fraction of his powers returned.
'The first thing I shall do when I am able is smite you!' he thought venomously. Plotting his sweet revenge against the unsuspecting Demon Hunter, Bai Qingyue glared daggers at the man's back and waited.