The practice course transformed into a winter wonderland that took Rui's breath away.
Snow-laden cliffs rose like cathedral spires on either side, their surfaces glittering with embedded crystals that caught and scattered the ethereal light.
Frozen waterfalls cascaded in suspended animation, creating natural archways of blue-white ice.
"It's like racing through a snow palace!" Rui gasped.
Mist-shrouded ravines yawned below them, their depths hidden by swirling clouds of frost.
Translucent bridges of ice stretched across the chasms, their surfaces gleaming like polished glass.
The first bridge they approached groaned ominously under their chariots' weight, sending cracks radiating outward.
"There is a structural weakness at the center span," Shen called out grimly, as his tactical mind automatically cataloged potential threats.
"Maximum speed to minimize contact time."
"Look at how the light refracts through the ice!" Rui marveled, completely missing his warning.
