The Dark on Alchemy

[Czymra]

I am currently reading a book about Chi Gung (Qi Gong) by Daniel Reid.
It is stated in the historical discourse that there were many that preferred the 'outer alchemy', creating pills from poisonous herbs etc. in order to give eternal life to those who took it. However, many people died and the outer alchemy was eventually dropped to favour the inner alchemy of Chi Gung.

I have not had much contact with alchemy but from what I've heard I have only been left sceptical. The allegory for inner processes however I find much more revealing.