God of Tricksters - Chapter 5: Mysterious Old Man

After 10,000 years of intense, solitary cultivation inside the Immortal Palace, Ancestor Li Shen finally steps outside —only to realize the world has changed, his sect is broke, and the juniors are clueless.Naturally, he does what any enlightened master would do:He starts throwing spirit stones at the problem.Need cultivation pills? Buy them in bulk.Sect disciples weak? Dump divine weapons on them like party favors.Enemy sects causing trouble? Bribe their ancestors into early retirement.Soon, Li Shen isn’t just revered as the most powerful being alive —he’s the richest, loudest, and most dramatically dressed cultivator to ever walk the continent.With a golden flying palace shaped like a reclining dragon and a pet phoenix that doubles as a chef, Li Shen’s new path to immortality is paved with cash, chaos, and really questionable decision-making.Will he reach true enlightenment?Will the Heavens finally notice him and file a noise complaint?Find out in this completely serious tale of wealth, wisdom, and way too many spirit stones.

What are the heavens?

Aloof and solitary, none can measure it’s might. It is law. It is commandment. It is merciless. It is unfeeling.

Overlooking all existence, controlling the winds and clouds, stripping reward and punishment, leisurely yet capable. For these reasons, the Will of Heaven cannot be measured, the firmament cannot be approximated. Obey it and yield to it even though it may not be to one’s benefit. Oppose it and rebel against it, fortune and disaster however are hard to determine.

Heaven, imprisoning the manifold existences like a deep well, the living things of the mortal world as mud.

There existed such a very simple, very resolute frog at the bottom of the well, cautiously guarding his mind there were a few, faint rays of light, bearing the meager convictions to absolutely nibble upon swan meat. Step by step from amidst the mire of the mortal world, struggling to leave, step by step to exit the unseeable depths of the sordid, deep well.

When he opened his great mouth towards the thoughts of nipping the swan, recklessly taking the firmament and swallowing it down in one bite! 　

Chu Tian said, lacking money, demand even more money; lacking life, demand to pay with one’s life.

This is exactly Chu Tian’s determined, most simple and firm principle.　　

This principle is greater than heaven!

- Description from Novelupdates

After being killed by a high-velocity tree-hug, Arlo is transported to a new world of skills, stats, and levels where those brave and talented enough to conquer ancient Delves are rewarded with incredible supernatural power. Unfortunately for Arlo, there is no tutorial, and he is immediately forced to tackle a Delve set to the highest difficulty with a party of adventurers who are not only strangers to him, but strangers to each other as well. Arlo has no armor, no weapons, no knowledge of the world at large, and his party is growing increasingly suspicious of his lack of preparation and paper-thin excuses for how he got there.There's also the fact that the System seems to be treating Arlo's situation like a big, cosmic joke.Determined not to die again, Arlo forgoes putting any points into his highest stat, Intelligence, and instead dumps everything he's got into Fortitude. After all, who needs equipment or fighting skills when you can eat fireballs for breakfast and still ask for more hot sauce?Mage Tank is a comedic LitRPG adventure set in an epic fantasy world that is rapidly evolving as new and powerful secrets of the Delves are uncovered. There are strong horror themes, graphic violence, overindulgent use of naughty language, and poorly constructed jokes. Mage Tank features slow progression and intelligent characters who spend time making intentional build choices. It’s not action all-the-time, but Arlo’s life is replete with danger and, more importantly, consequences.Cover art generated with MidJourney and Canva.Maps and world-building support by Sir Raiu Koren.

Under the vast immortal sky, the brilliance of an era is nothing but fireworks blooming at the fingertips.

Overlooking the earth, for thousands of years, life and death, where are they all? The Immortal Gate, the Dynasty, and the Supreme Holy Land are all just a handful of loess under the Immortal Vault.

A thousand years of splendor, and a smash into ashes.

Cinders sprout in the depths of the ruins, and you and I strive to be the trees that reach the sky.

What the hell is on the other side of the Immortal Firmament?

- Description from novelbuddy