The Runic Alchemist - Chapter 186: Credits & Rewards

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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The Immortal Dao is ethereal, and Immortals are hard to find.

Li Nianfan had descended into the cultivation world as a mortal. After learning that he has no hope in cultivation, he only wants to live a peaceful life.

However…

The dog he adopts becomes a demon king of a generation when it sees his poems and paintings. It manages to suppress an entire world.

The tree he plants behind his house becomes a World Tree after listening to his zither music, forming a bridge between heaven and earth.

He meets a passerby who is enlightened by him and becomes an immortal sage who leads an entire generation.

When he looks back—

It turns out that the scholar who had been pestering him for his calligraphy and paintings despite having crappy chess skills, is a chess saint from the Immortal Realm. The beautiful woman who comes to listen to his music every night is the number one saintess of the Immortal Realm…

The person that Pei Zhen hates most in his life is the perfect Fu Sichen. Alas, life is full of surprises and unpredictability. One fine day, an accident turns Pei Zhen into Fu Sichen’s pet cat! As Fu Sichen’s pet cat, he makes a shocking discovery about his sworn enemy – a deep dark secret that the perfect Fu Sichen has kept hidden for years. Trapped in his cat body, Pei Zhen moves from one adventure into another while trying hard to find a way of turning back into his human self. When he finally does, the world as he once knew, has become a completely different place!

Karl was just a regular degenerate enjoying some alone time when—BAM!—he died mid-nut. Next thing he knew, he was standing before a smug goddess who bestowed upon him the Power of Stealing.Heroic? Not really. Broken? Absolutely.Now, in a world where strength is everything, Karl discovers his ability and lets him steal powers, skills, and even lovers. With each stolen ability, he grows more potent, turning the tables on arrogant heroes, cocky nobles, and unsuspecting chumps.Why train when you can steal? Why fight fair when you can cheat?Join Karl as he NTRs (or not) his way to the top, taking what he wants and leaving chaos in his wake.Died mid-nutPower of StealingWomen are his buffsThis isn’t a hero’s journey—it’s a shameless, overpowered, completely degenerate adventure.