Chapter 134: The Majestic Path, The Azure Lake

"He told me to go home..." He Ku'er looked back at Lin Shenlu.

"Lu'er... why are you picking on her?" An Muxi said softly.

"He said I spend too much money, and that he can't afford to keep me in hotels anymore... It's not like I wasn't going to pay him back!" He Ku'er complained, feeling aggrieved.

...

The sun was a bit blinding.

Lin Shenlu sighed; this girl was truly unpredictable.

When every problem can be solved, nothing is a problem.

They stayed at a five-star hotel that night. Lin Shenlu had guessed correctly; a simple double room cost around 1,200. Of course, An Muxi and He Ku'er shared a standard room, while Lin Shenlu had his own.

In that moment, Lin Shenlu gained a new perspective on He Ku'er. She was indeed different from those wealthy second-generation girls in big cities who obsessed over bourgeois lifestyles and cultivated tastes.

However, that didn't mean Lin Shenlu believed she could peacefully accompany him on the three-thousand-mile journey ahead.

Night fell.

A wind suddenly picked up in Xining.

Rain lashed against the windows, a storm beating down on a city that felt somewhat foreign to Lin Shenlu. On such a night, Lin Shenlu found himself completely unable to sleep.

He took out his phone, longing to send a message to someone, but realized there was no one he could reach out to.

Lin Shenlu's thoughts began to drift far away, back to Dali. He drifted to that bar, The Pirate's Song. He remembered the girl with the smoky makeup, and he remembered Ye Yaochen, whom he had met there.

Was that guy doing okay? Was he still in Dali, living a carefree life with Xiao Ai?

Lin Shenlu took a deep breath and gently set his phone aside.

The rain outside had stopped. With the noisy night silenced, a sense of weariness finally washed over him. Even if his sleep quality was poor and filled with chaotic dreams.

...

The next morning, Lin Shenlu woke up early.

It must be said that the only benefit of a five-star hotel was the rather sumptuous breakfast. After the three of them finished eating, they began preparing to move on. This time, they were truly entering National Highway 315.

Setting off from Xining, a soul-stirring journey began.

In Lin Shenlu's mind, National Highway 315 was an absolute world-class scenic boulevard. Every view along the way was a spectacular blockbuster in the making.

This was the great artery of China's western region!

National Highway 315!

Starting in Xining, Qinghai, in the east and ending in Kashgar, Xinjiang, in the west, the route spans over three thousand kilometers, passing through snow-capped mountains, grasslands, deserts, the Gobi, and the majestic Kunlun Mountains!

Lin Shenlu's first stop was Mount Riyue, the dividing line between China's monsoon and non-monsoon regions. To the west of Mount Riyue lay Qinghai Lake, the largest inland lake in China!

Lin Shenlu's route took them around the northern side of Qinghai Lake, where one could admire the azure waters and the soaring birds along the way.

Currently, Lin Shenlu was speeding down the road, with He Ku'er's vehicle faithfully following behind.

An Muxi finally began to brighten up as she looked at the scenery before them.

"I have to say, Lu'er, the scenery here really is beautiful right from the start," An Muxi said with a smile.

"That goes without saying; this place is known as the most beautiful route in the country!" Lin Shenlu remarked with emotion.

"Compared to the 318 Sichuan-Tibet line, the grand, majestic atmosphere of Highway 315 is incomparable to any other road, especially in the uninhabited areas of the latter half. Appreciating the unique charm of the western region—I've heard from those who have been there that it's like being addicted to a drug!" Lin Shenlu grew more excited as he spoke.

"When I was working as a moderator for a travel website, I read quite a few travel diaries from road-trippers on the 315. They call this the loneliest highway in the country, the world's only 'Mars Highway,' and it features the world's only water-based Yadan landscape!"

"There's also the most beautiful 'Mirror of the Sky,' Chaka Salt Lake, the dual-colored Mandarin Duck Lake (Xitaijinai'er Lake), the legendary Eye of the Devil (Aiken Spring), and you'll pass through the legendary Kunlun Grand Canyon, the seemingly deserted Hoh Xil... and the Tiffany-blue Dongtaijinai'er Lake."

"This place is truly a paradise forgotten by God!" Lin Shenlu said, taking a deep breath.

...

On the road to Qinghai Lake, a white RV and a silver Cyber Tank were racing!

This road was truly beautiful—a beauty that was empty and vast. Every glimpse of the world felt like an oil painting.

Outside the windows lay a world of clear blue skies, cloudless and endless grasslands, straight roads, and rows of low green hills in the distance. A few large black yaks grazed by the roadside, and an old man herding them smoked from a pipe while picking up dung.

Qinghai Lake in September.

It felt like a summer from a Hayao Miyazaki film.

At this time of year, it wasn't too cold yet; Lin Shenlu glanced at the thermometer, and it was still around twenty degrees during the day. This was the most beautiful time to be here.

Around Qinghai Lake, thousands of acres of rapeseed flowers were blooming in competition. The vast, deep blue of Qinghai Lake was fringed with a warm, tender yellow. The high-altitude pastures, brushed by white clouds, were covered in a colorful tapestry of wildflowers.

Countless cattle and sheep were scattered across the silk-like mountain meadows.

September's Qinghai Lake was so beautiful it didn't seem real. Blue skies, and a lake even more profound than the sky.

No one could resist the majestic charm of Qinghai Lake at this time. Under the clear, high-altitude air, it was as if nature had used a bright yellow brush to outline the most vivid and beautiful scenery in the world.

Lin Shenlu pulled the car over to the side of the road.

He rolled down the window and took a deep breath of the air. It was incredibly refreshing.

On one side, massive clouds piled up under the blue sky, looking as if they could be touched by hand. Not far away, the outline of Qinghai Lake was already visible. That deep, azure blue was breathtakingly beautiful.

It was as quiet as a still painting.

Leaving Heimahe Township and heading onto the West Ring Road, this was the point closest to the lake. Basically, once you stepped off the highway, you could reach the waters of Qinghai Lake in just three to five minutes.

Lin Shenlu stubbed out his cigarette and placed it in the car's ashtray. This was part of a traveler's self-discipline: do not leave trash in such beautiful scenery.

He got back in the car and continued forward.

The tranquil Qinghai Lake was truly captivating. This was the first stop on his 315 journey.

Lin Shenlu said, "Muxi, when we stop in a moment, do me a favor. In my pink suitcase in the back, there are dozens of glass bottles. Help me get one out."

An Muxi was stunned. Dozens of glass bottles? A pink suitcase? There were so many things to tease him about...

"On this 315 trip, the things we'll encounter most are beautiful lakes of various colors. I have a friend who loves water, so this time, I'm going to bring a bottle of water from every lake I encounter on Highway 315 for him!" Lin Shenlu said with a smile.

He had spent a lot of money buying these bottles in advance. Their aesthetic appeal was no less than that of Evian water bottles. Moreover, their curves were round, beautiful, and harmonious, with no imprints or labels.

Such bottles were perfect for filling with deep blue lake water and then labeling with a few words written by Lin Shenlu himself.