Should I start reading the novel now

You will regret it if you read the novel now. At least wait untill episode 13 released.

Episode 10, 12 and 13 would be much better if you dont read the novel.

Read it after season one ends if you want to read. It should increase the enjoyment of some scenes. You can start with volume 2 or read vol 1 if you want the original experience.

Based off the trailers and pacing it will likely end the anime at the end of the first book

I just checked Webnovel, it shows 1432 chapters. Is it all volumes/books?

@fanaticrat Thank you! I will start reading after season 1 finishes.
Does this also mean there will be 5+ seasons of donghua?

Tbh just go ahead and read the novel (from the start) if you can
The best kind of experience imo is reading in-parallel alongside watching afterwards
The medium of the WN does deliver all the emotions better than the Donghua, even without the soundtracks or whatnot, trust me!
And seeing the progress of the Donghua so far
I genuinely do not think it'll make the same impact by the end of the season towards a new viewer, the same way the WN format did with all the build-ups, much extra details/legroom to digest them all etc...
If you can goa head and have the patience to re-start it from the beginning
That is NEVER a matter of regret afterwards, it is *always* more than just worth it, the praise of the source material is not for naught after all!

@M_Yue No I think I'll be starting the novel from the beginning after season 1 finishes, and then I'll stop until the second 2 starts again, basically I'll be reading parallel to show

@Mathi786 I highly suggest reading the WN first (even if you pausing alongside each Season)
The sheer surprises in the WN are really made to waste in the Adaptation, ngl
for instance this 1st Volume/Season alone already :

Y'all trust me when I tell you, for the most part, the WN source material is like 200% more meticulous down to the last minute detail, characters' decisions, Klein's inner thoughts and characterization, his interactions with everyone notably his family and colleagues being way waaaay more fleshed out and get-used-to "normalized"
the plot with Tingen's Doomsday, the Quill and the Rogue Ex-Archbishop scheme has NOT been obvious at all since it literally HAD NEVER BEEN brought up
beside Chapter 19 (equivalent of early Episode 2~) passing as some trivial fact only to hit us all in the very last moment by surprise
it all makes for an entirely different experience than the Animation adaptation really (in a good way.)

reading beforehand makes for a much more worth it experience imo, since you only have your "1st time impression" only once evidently, Don't waste the sheer heights this story's experience can reach to you pls!