Multi-city layover eligible for 72 hour visa-free transit?

My flight is Los Angeles-Chengdu-Bangkok roundtrip booked as one multi-city ticket but with 3 days in Chengdu for a layover. Am I eligible for the 72 hour free transit as it will be a separate onward connecting flight from Chengdu-Bangkok on different days? The concern is upon arrival the final destination of the first leg is Chengdu even though the final destination of the ticket is Bangkok 3 days later. Does the 72 hour free transit apply to such multi-city layovers with separate flights on different days but for the same onward booking? It seems that traditional transit is the key requirement for free transit eligibility but how about layovers between flights that still meet the requirements?

Thanks for any info!

Jacob in Arizona, USA