Would you like some cheese with that whine? :P

Yay, you've just discovered that this may not be the game for you as it doesn't suit your style of play. AND THAT IS OK. There's a fair proportion of us who enjoy the slow grind and a simple game mechanic. And yes, the game is definitely grindy - I am definitely not disagreeing with you. If you need more exploration and reward, pick a game that has a wider, fully fleshed open world. Valheim ain't it and it never will be. It's a cozy, set progression and I doubt very much will change in that respect.