Did the man travel to hear the Hadith: "Whoever traverses a path in search of knowledge," or another Hadith, such that Abu Darda narrated this Hadith to him, influenced by his journey?

It appears from the hadith of Abu Darda and the story of Zirr ibn Hubaysh that the seeker of knowledge is given glad tidings of the virtue of his seeking. The angels of mercy lower their wings out of pleasure for him, which encourages diligence in seeking knowledge.