Several hours earlier

Whee!

Su Qing cheered as he rode a boat down the turbulent waters in the canyon.

It shot along at incredible speeds, even flipping upside down several times.

But without any actual organs, Su Qing was unable to feel any dizziness or pain.

Several passersby watched in shock as he shot past them. Su Qing's boat tumbled before crashing into one of the metal platforms, where a man was sitting.

BANG!

"Ahh!" he shouted.

Having jumped in shock, he flailed his arms around, almost falling into the water.

"Crazy spirit!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Su Qing laughed gleefully.

This was the most fun he had in a while!

He thought back about earlier, where he used his token to teleport away, and felt a little guilty.

After Mei refused to let him ride the boat together, he had been very disgruntled, thinking about it the entire time.

Okay, to be fair, after seeing the boat crash in the demonstration, he understood why Mei wouldn't want to get in it. But it was fine if it was only him, right?

Hm.

Maybe he should have asked Mei first if he could go alone first.

The remorseful spirit was in deep thought as he tumbled and crashed into a metal platform yet again, oblivious to the screams of random tourists.

Mei must be so worried about him.

...right?

Su Qing suddenly felt a bit paranoid that Mei might have forgotten him yet again. After all, she somehow didn't notice he wasn't around even after so many days...

Maybe the teacher spirits were right. Maybe Mei was a meanie...

No! What was he thinking?

Su Qing slapped himself as he crashed into yet another metal platform. Mei was his friend! She would never!

"Hey, you! The spirit over there!"

Suddenly, someone yelled.

Su Qing finally snapped out of his trance, realising one of the guards was riding on a winged canoe, giving chase.

"What do you think you're doing, riding such a dangerous unlicensed boat? Are you trying to injure innocents?" the burly man yelled.

"No..."

Uh oh.

Su Qing immediately activated his teleportation jade.

A flash of light covered him... and was left behind.

What?!

"The Myriad Realms Heaven Array cannot keep up with a fast-moving target. Please slow down." a pleasant elderly voice spoke.

Oh no! What was he going to do now?

Anxiety began to well up within the spirit.

"Ack!" the guard yelled.

Su Qing was confused for a moment until he realised the veil of light left behind had blinded the guard.

Aha!

Su Qing suddenly had a bright idea.

"The Myriad Realms Heaven Array cannot-"

"The Myriad Realms Heaven Array cannot-"

"The Myriad Realms Heaven Array cannot-"

...

"Gahhhh!" the guard covered his eyes. "Stop it! Your charges are going to be worse if I crash and injure myself!"

Su Qing laughed gleefully for a moment as he smashed into a platform yet again.

"You're getting on my nerves!" the elderly voice suddenly yelled. "Do you know how tiring it is to repeat that exact same sentence 50 times?"

"Ehh? I'm so sorry, elder Myriad Realms!" Su Qing cried.

"Stupid youngster! I'm banning you from teleportation for a week!"

"Noooooo!"

At last, Su Qing had come to a stop.

His boat had been battered to an absurd degree, covered in countless dents, even after Su Qing's continuous mending.

After an intense chase with several guards, somehow, he had managed to escape.

Some of the guards were water cultivators, but the little spirit managed to disrupt their control of the water, breaking free. He was surprised at how much of a knack he had for water magic!

His teachers always said dual-element spirits usually had much more trouble with qi control. Hehe. Su Qing felt proud of himself.

Right now, he was cruising along, at a more uninhabited area of the canyon. The metal platforms and numerous buildings were nowhere in sight, replaced by untamed greenery.

Su Qing hopped off the boat, stashing it into his jade.

From his momentum, he crashed into the cliff wall, bouncing off it and back into the river.

Eek! The wooden puppet flailed around for a bit before he finally grabbed onto a protruding rock, managing to climb ashore.

Phew! No more boat riding. Su Qing felt like he had enough of boats for several years after the long chase with the guards.

Finally having time to think again, he grew worried again.

No teleportation for a week? So he had to stay in the wilds, alone for so long?

Nooo!

He was only planning to play around for a few hours, then teleport back to Mei... Su Qing felt very sad.

"Senior Myriad Realms, please! I'm very sorry!" he said to the jade. "I won't do that ever again!"

There was no response.

Hmph! So petty, like Mei!

Su Qing stood around angrily for a while, stomping his feet every now and then.

Finally, he turned his gaze towards a vine that grew upwards and out of the canyon. A lightbulb appeared above his head. He could climb that!

For the next hour, Su Qing climbed gruellingly. Several times, he fell and crashed into the river again, but finally, after a lot of effort, he had made it out! He felt a sense of accomplishment as he stared at the vast forests before him.

The sound pleasant of birds chirping, insects buzzing and calls from distant animals filled his "ears".

...

Then, Su Qing suddenly realised he could have just stashed his puppet body into the jade, then floating upwards while carrying it.

...

Gahhhh! He was so stupid!

Su Qing yelled as he kicked a tree repeatedly.

So much time wasted for nothing...

After comforting himself, he took out pieces of the dried vine and began to make a shoddy house for the next hour. He added a table and chair and sat on it.

Hm. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.

Su Qing leaned back and stretch his arms for no particular reason.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open.

A chimpanzee hopped in angrily.

"Who let you build this ugly house under my tree? Get out of my property!" it yelled.

Su Qing wanted to cry.