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This is kind of a power fantasy, but not in the sense of growing powerful. Harold, our main character, starts off entirely overpowered having already pretty much conquered the world and gotten bored enough to decide to sleep until the end of the universe when he figures something interesting will happen. And then someone disturbs his rest and he decides to take a look around for curiosity sake and he'll go back to sleep. Should only take a day or two.

Only his defining characteristic is a deep curiosity. He considers himself a scientist and experimenter and when he discovers things have gone from his days with a system and classes and such to a kind of cultivator sect system with accompanying arrogance he becomes intrigued. He's not some isekai so all he really knows is that these fellows are being completely inefficient and he wants to understand why. The plot is off to the races from there.

Harold isn't nice. He's a lich after all. But his curiosity can bend to helping others in a kind of off-handed way. For example, when the importunate girl he has named "limpet", who wants to learn as an apprentice, breaks through his general disregard it is by becoming a test subject to see if he can level her up and what it will take given that she can't see the system the way he does (even though it seems to be working as he expects behind the scenes).

So the strengths of this is in having a world I liked exploring and a cast of characters I liked exploring it with. Yeah, there aren't many challenges Harold can't overcome (I mean, he defeated the entire pantheon of gods before taking a nap), but he isn't actually pursuing power. He's pursuing knowledge and doing it with a careful deliberation all while rollicking around the countryside interrogating sect masters, hunting down the new pantheon, and exploring ancient ruins. And his companions all have their own interests and motivations and watching them bounce off each other over the course of the story was fantastic.

Seriously, this was five stars from start to finish and it didn't hurt that it delivers some laugh-out-loud moments along the way. I'm definitely interested in continuing the series.

A note about Chaste: Harold has zero prurient interests, even to experiment. He's a lich. He doesn't have the needs. And those who choose to be in his vicinity have better things to do (like staying interesting enough to stay alive). So this is pretty chaste.