Zhanxian

008 – Incalculable Achievement

“We are the supreme ruler of the golden imperial watchtower of the boundless heaven, the magnificent all encompassing true god, the Jade Emperor. Traitor, whence dare thou be rude!” The man, dressed in an imperial robe and wearing the imperial crown, shouted loudly, like a thunderclap by Yang Chen’s ears. He wasn’t even influenced a moment by the lingering killing intent around Yang Chen.

The phoenix crowned woman next to the Jade Emperor stood quietly without speaking, only a sharp light flashing in her eyes, enough for any person to fear her majestic presence and prostrate themselves on the ground.

“Sorry, seniors, but this is the Immortal Executioner stage. The immortals entering here are only of one identity, and that is as convicted prisoners!” Confronting the two former rulers of the heavenly court, the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother, Yang Chen only calmly said: “Myself am Yang Chen, the executioner of the Immortal Executioner Stage!”

Meanwhile, the heavenly court’s newly appointed emissary in charge of controlling the achievement scores was just looking at the suddenly appeared stranger that was quickly racking up achievement, his mouth wide open, appearing at the number one spot on the achievement roll. The numbers recorded were, individual, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred millions, trillions, ten quadrillions, hundred quintillions, septillions, ten octillions, hundred nonillions, undecillions, ten duodecillions, hundred tredecillions, quinquadecillions, ten sedecillions, hundred septendecillions, novendecillions, ten vigintillions, all the way to hundred unvigintillions. On the order of ten to the sixty fourth power, the number so enormous he simply didn’t dare believe it.

(Author note:

Ten thousand: 10^4

Hundred million: 10^8

Trillion: 10^12

Ten quadrillion: 10^16

Hundred quintillion: 10^20

Septillion: 10^24

Ten octillion: 10^28

Hundred nonillion: 10^32

Undecillion: 10^36

Ten duodecillion: 10^40

Hundred tredecillion: 10^44

Quinquagintillion: 10^48

Ten sedecillion: 10^52

Hundred septendecillion: 10^56

Novendecillion: 10^60

Ten vigintillion: 10^64

Hundred unvigintillion: 10^68

Tresvigintillion: 10^72

TL Note: Chinese has individual expressions for every multiple of 104 rather than 103, and are perhaps more descriptive, like:

ten sedecillion = sand of the Ganges

ten vigintillion = inconceivable

hundred unvigintillion = boundless

tresvigintillion = big number.)

The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord was the founder of Daoism, his achievements were already boundless. That’s why, even in the midst of rebellion against the heavenly court, nobody dared be disrespectful to him. But all the immortals who participated knew that, if the Elderly Lord didn’t die, the new heavenly court basically couldn’t be rebuilt. Therefore, once the new Jade Emperor ascended, he immediately had the Elderly Lord executed.

This was after all the resentment of cheating ones master and extinguishing the ancestors, once the arrow was on the bowstring, it had to be loosed. Once in this situation, there could be no consideration. Nobody dared kill the Elderly Lord, but that was to Yang Chen’s benefit. The Elderly Lord’s achievements in the old heavenly court were boundless, meaning that his achievement score had already reached the magnitude of a hundred unvigintillion. Of course, killing the Elderly Lord was also a matter of boundless achievement in the new heavenly court, and Yang Chen’s achievement score had immediately charged into units of hundred unvigintillions, already the longest number on the achievement score roll.

The Elderly Lord’s alone had let Yang Chen’s achievement score step past everyone, appearing far above on the achievement roll. Moreover, the gigantic number made that official in charge of inspecting the achievement roll speechless for a long time.

According to the rules of the heavenly court, achievement score could be directly exchanged for a great many things, including all sorts of magical treasures and pills, cultivation techniques, and tools, pets and subordinates, official positions and abodes, practically anything. According to Yang Chen’s present boundless level achievement, he could directly exchange his achievement score for the entire heavenly court.

The new Jade Emperor had just ascended, his experience shallow, and even if he could gather vast amounts of achievement, there was still no way to compare with the founder of Daoism. And the achievement roll immortal tool, just like the Immortal Executioner Stage, could only be used to look over exchanges, and couldn’t be used to change the rules for calculating.

A completely unfamiliar and unheard of name, not the partner of any sect, nor anyone who had established some alarming contribution in the rebellion, nor the newly appointed Jade Emperor, how could he be ranked number one?

Thinking of a stranger never heard of by anyone in the heavenly court exchanging everything, even as a great primary golden immortal, the newly appointed heavenly court achievement emissary was unable to keep his brow from unconsciously beading with sweat, tremendous fear almost making him believe he had committed some unpardonable mistake, unconsciously starting to tremble. There was definitely some mistake here!

“Whence does the traitors dare hurry?” The Jade Emperor, or more precisely, the former Jade Emperor took a step forward and shouted at Yang Chen, but could only blankly Yang Chen walk past. Besides shouting, he could do nothing.

“No wonder those people would rebel, can you do anything other than bossing people around?” A trace of disdain flashed through Yang Chen’s eyes. Slowly shaking his head, he flashed the sinister blade.

“Do you not fear eternal damnation after doing it?” The Queen Mother Of the West finally spoke up to the side, her pronunciation clear like moonlight, carrying a sense of a monarch overlooking the world, phoenix eyes holding power. It was just one sentence, but it pierced even deeper than the Jade Emperor’s shouting.

“Myself am acting on behalf of the Dao of Heaven, it’s boundlessly beneficial, how could there be damnation?” Confronting this Queen Mother, Yang Chen was instead a bit more courteous than towards the Jade Emperor, but words could offer no explanation. While speaking, he suddenly revealed the achievement score on his ring, the enormous number even making Yang Chen himself turn lifeless for a moment.

“On behalf of the Dao of Heaven?” The Queen mother also saw the long string of digits on Yang Chen’s ring, and her eyes dulled, no longer with the brightness from before, as if she had suddenly aged. She muttered: “It seemed Heaven has already changed!”

“If senior still has some unfinished desires, perhaps myself can help accomplish one or two!” Yang Chen confronted the two completely different monarchs, said this, then quietly waited for them to speak.

“It’s already at this stage, what desires could still be left?” The Queen Mother of the West spoke with a somewhat bleak expression, then immediately regained her high minded dignity. Even being only a weak woman without the strength to truss a chicken inside the Immortal Executioner Stage, the unique air she exuded at this moment enchanted even Yang Chen.

Quietly straightening her clothes, the Queen Mother dashed a smile at Yang Chen: “Lend me the blade, I need a mirror!”

“Subordinate is crude, I have been irreverent!” The Queen Mother’s optimistic display won Yang Chen’s respect. Whoosh, the uniquely vicious edge flashed, appearing in front of her. The flat blade now became as bright as snow, reflecting the Queen Mother’s charming appearance.

Facing the edge, the Queen Mother of the West carefully arranged her hair as if she was at her own Jade Lake. After casually adjusting the phoenix hairpin on top of her head, she gave a slight nod to Yang Chen, walking over to the edge of the Immortal Executioner Stage by herself, looking all around at the surrounding scenery, then said to Yang Chen behind her without turning her head: “Executioner, do it! Be quick!”

Xiu, a sharp whistle, a sliver of light like bright snow and black hair caressed the Queen Mother’s neck. But nothing else changed, the Queen Mother still stood there, gazing into the distance. After a moment she exposed a smile: “Such a fast blade, many thanks!”

Yang Chen swung his blade, but didn’t look further at the result, directly turning around and confronting the Jade Emperor, once supreme ruler of everything, calmly and grimly saying: “The Empress is already on her way, senior, do you still have any unfinished desires, perhaps myself can help accomplish one or two!”

Seeing the Queen Mother of the West standing there suddenly fall to the ground, the Jade Emperor who had just been forcefully roaring exposed a panicked expression. Looking at Yang Chen, his shout held a different timbre: “We are the Jade Emperor, you dare be rude?”

“No longer!” Yan Chen had just seen the Queen Mother of the West confront her fall so calmly, now seeing the Jade Emperor forget himself like that, the last trace of respect for a senior vanished without a trace.

“We are the Jade Emperor, you’re all traitors!” Confronting the death of his body and end of his Dao, the once Jade Emperor lost all sense of dignity, almost hysterically swinging his fist at Yang Chen. But he only swung it were he stood, even without any restraints, he didn’t dare step forward to argue with Yang Chen, let alone teaching him a lesson.

“For every debt there is a debtor, you and I have no past grudges, nor recent hatred, this is my place of duty, executing orders, please pardon me!” Yang Chen finished his executioner’s catchphrase with an expressionless face, then took a few steps forward and swung the vicious blade.

The heavenly court achievement emissary looked at Yang Chen’s score suddenly rising again, and his whole face was stunned. Yang Chen’s achievement score had already been on the level of a hundred unvigintillion, but along with him beheading the Queen Mother of the West, his score directly shot up almost to the limit of what the achievement roll could display. Nine hundred unvigintillion, that was almost the largest number the achievement roll could hold.

Looking at the second name on the roll, the name of the newly appointed Jade Emperor, the newly appointed achievement emissary almost cried. The heavenly court was newly established, could it be that someone accumulating enough achievement points to reach this position was an error in the immortal tool, leading to this world of darkness? He didn’t know how the achievement roll was arranged before, but it may be assumed that the Jade Emperor was number one!

One fellow of unknown origin, a fellow whose name the achievement emissary couldn’t find even when he searched the entire heavenly court, actually had an achievement score even higher than the Jade Emperor? If there wasn’t any problem with the achievement roll, then there was definitely a problem with him, the achievement emissary. The newly appointed Jade Emperor wasn’t some kind and benevolent person, that was a powerful character who had just delivered every person loyal to the old heavenly court to the Immortal Executioner Stage. If he let the Jade Emperor know about it, then he, as the achievement emissary, would definitely end up there too.

Yes, there was definitely some problem with the rules of the achievement roll. In this moment of desperation, the achievement emissary’s brain worked an unknown number of dozens of times faster than normal, at once becoming aware of the main point of the problem. The achievement roll was an immortal tool, as long as someone wore the token ring of the heavenly court, their achievement score would be calculated by the achievement roll, there would be no error here. The only possible problem could be that the just converted achievement roll was still using the old rules.

Thinking of this, the achievement emissary was just about to try operating the achievement roll to research how to alter the calculation rules, when he sensed someone entering with a sweep of his divine consciousness, his personal assistant. But he couldn’t let anyone see the ranking of the achievement roll right now, so he hastily put it away and asked in a low voice: “What is it?”

“Milord, the Jade Emperor’s emissary is here, the Jade Emperor wants to see the achievement roll!” The personal assistant bowed and reported, then quietly waited for the achievement emissary’s orders.

Boom, like a thunderclap by the achievement emissary’s ears. The Jade Emperor wanted to see the achievement roll. But could he show it to him now? The achievement emissary no longer knew what to do.

Only, no matter what, the Jade Emperor had actually sent a person instead of a talisman with the summons, this was presumably some grand occasion. There might be a lot of people waiting to see it, not going wasn’t an option. But right now the damned achievement roll was a huge pain in the ass!

Trembling with fear and trepidation, the achievement emissary cautiously followed the Jade Emperor’s envoy for the high firmament treasure palace. His shaking as he walked astonished the envoy, but he couldn’t ask about it and only tactfully reminded: “Be careful not to be discourteous before the Jade Emperor!”

At the near firmament treasure palace, the new Jade Emperor was just holding a grand feast for the ministers. In fact, this was also considered the celebratory feast for overthrowing the old regime. Some people at the feast deserved rewards, and they would be casually awarded some achievement points.

Seeing this scene from a distance, the achievement emissary’s legs almost buckled. Even with his golden immortal cultivation, his terror wasn’t light. The hoped for day of overthrowing the old heavenly court had come with great difficulty, could it be he would be thrown into the Immortal Executioner Stage because he still hadn’t had time to change the rules on the achievement roll he had just been put in charge of?

With great difficulty forcing himself to complete the great formal courtesies for the Jade Emperor without mistake, the Jade Emperor’s next words almost made his soul fly away and scatter.

“Achievement emissary, display the achievement roll, let all the ministers inspect it!”

At this very moment, Yang Chen’s vicious blade was already held up high, and before the shocked eyes of the previous Jade Emperor, chopped down heavily. Pop, the vicious blade that had beheaded tens of thousands of immortals only gave a slight sound before bloody light immediately sprayed out, the Jade Emperor’s body collapsing to the ground, no different from any common corpse.

The figure on the achievement roll rose sharply once again, instantly exceeding the range of what the roll could display. The instant the achievement emissary displayed the achievement roll, Yang Chen’s name flashed once, and disappeared without a trace.

The achievement emissary couldn’t help shuddering. If the Jade Emperor saw that the person on the number one spot wasn’t him, he didn’t know what kind of thundering fury he would display.

Just when the achievement emissary in desperation was planning to throw it to the ground and smash it, he suddenly heard the quiet laughter of all the immortals, as if everyone were extremely satisfied with the ranking, and leisurely assessed it one by one. Even the Jade Emperor laughed, clearly, even though that achievement score was low, as the newly appointed Jade Emperor, he could easily accept that his score wasn’t high.

“Achievement emissary, bestow minister XX one hundred thousand achievement!” The Jade Emperor’s voice echoed from up high.

The achievement emissary stared blankly, raising his eyes, with astonishment just finding the Jade Emperor’s name listed as number one on the achievement roll, and that harbinger of calamity-like Yang Chen had already flown off to unknown parts. The achievement emissary’s whole body shivered, as if he had just ascended from hell into paradise.

“Your servant obeys the Emperor’s decree!” Inwardly joyous, he still didn’t dare neglect his mouth and hastily operated the achievement roll, noting down the Jade Emperor’s conferred reward.

“Minister XX, eighty thousand achievement!”

“Minister XX, sixty thousand achievement!”

……

A string of rewards left the achievement emissary too busy to raise his head. With great difficulty completing the awards, the Jade Emperor finally seemed very satisfied with the achievement emissary, in the end instructing: “Achievement emissary, give yourself one thousand achievement points. Afterwards the achievement roll will follow these rules, and mustn’t be changed lightly!”

For the first half of what he said, the achievement emissary rejoiced over obtaining a thousand points for himself, but the latter half made his heart drop. That Yang Chen’s name appeared in his brain once again, that outrageously long number behind the name testing his nerves again and again. However, at this time he didn’t dare say anything else, the Jade Emperor, the sole ruler of everything, had a mouth of gold and spoke words of jade, he couldn’t tolerate the slightest lip service. Anyway, since Yang Chen’s name had already disappeared, would the achievement emissary foolishly expose it?

Thinking of this, the achievement emissary made a great bow, deferentially saying to the Jade Emperor on the throne in a loud voice: “Your servant, receives the decree!”