What is the highest number of electrons that can be on the valence shell.?

Question

I have found that some texts say 14 and others say 18. Which is it?

Answer 1

In a noble gas, an atom tends to have 8 electrons in its outer shell (except helium, which is only able to fill its shell with 2 electrons). This serves as the model for the octet rule which is mostly applicable to main group elements of the second and third periods. In terms of atomic orbitals, the electrons in the valence shell are distributed 2 in the single s orbital and 2 each in the three p orbitals.

For coordination complexes containing transition metals, the valence shell consists of electrons in these s and p orbitals, as well as up to 10 additional electrons, distributed as 2 into each of 5 d orbitals, to make a total of 18 electrons in a complete valence shell for such a compound. This is referred to as the eighteen electron rule.

Answer 2

Noble Gases have the highest amount of valence electrons with 8

Answer 3

I thought it was 8.

Answer 4

8

but it looks like you know that by now.
thanks for the points!